These verbs can describe avoiding work or responsibility, but they are not interchangeable. Some focus on pretending, others on avoiding duties or making too little effort.
- Fudgel is rare and means pretending to work without really accomplishing anything. Most readers will find pretend to be busy clearer. For example: “He fudgelled at his desk until lunchtime.”
- Goldbrick is informal and mainly American. It means avoiding work, often while appearing busy: “The supervisor caught him goldbricking behind the warehouse.” It overlaps with fudgel, but is more established in American usage.
- Sham means pretending or faking something, especially illness. It does not itself mean avoiding work: “She shammed a headache to leave early.” The excuse is fake; avoiding work may be the purpose.
- Shirk means avoiding a duty or responsibility. It commonly takes an object: “He shirked his share of the cleaning.” Unlike several other choices here, it is not slang.
- Skive is informal and mainly British. It means avoiding work or school without permission, often as skive off: “We skived off lessons and went to the park.”
- Slack, often slack off, informally means working less hard than you should: “Our team started slacking off after the deadline changed.” Someone can remain at work but reduce their effort.
Choose according to the situation, not just the idea of laziness. Faking an illness, missing school and neglecting a responsibility describe different actions, even when they share the same motive.