Meaning & use
work-shy person
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableinformaldisapproving
A person who does not want to work and avoids it, often seen as lazy.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a work-shy person' or 'work-shy people'.
Patterns
- a work-shy person
- work-shy people
The manager called him a work-shy person because he always found excuses to leave early.
Some politicians complain about work-shy people, but many are actually looking for jobs.
She was labeled a work-shy person after turning down several job offers.
Word forms
| plural | work-shy people |
|---|
Common combinations
- call someone a work-shy person
- His colleagues called him a work-shy person behind his back.
- work-shy person who
- He's a work-shy person who never helps with the chores.
- a bit of a work-shy person
- Don't be a bit of a work-shy person; pitch in and help.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lazy person
- More direct and general; 'lazy' can describe anyone, while 'work-shy' specifically refers to avoiding work.
- idler
- A stronger, more literary word for someone who avoids work; 'work-shy person' is more everyday and often used in political contexts.
Opposites
Commonly confused: work-shy person or workaholic?
work-shy person vs workaholic
A workaholic works too much and finds it hard to stop; a work-shy person avoids work entirely.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'work-shy person' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 fits because a work-shy person avoids work. Option 1 is wrong because working 12 hours a day is the opposite. Option 2 is wrong because praise doesn't match the disapproving label. Option 3 is wrong because a busy team wouldn't want someone who avoids work.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “work-shy person”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.