dutiful

adjective

du·​ti·​ful ˈdü-ti-fəl How to pronounce dutiful (audio)
 also  ˈdyü-
1
: filled with or motivated by a sense of duty
a dutiful child
2
: proceeding from or expressive of a sense of duty
a dutiful effort
dutifully adverb
dutifulness noun

Examples of dutiful in a Sentence

the dutiful way he took care of his sick mother the family showed a dutiful deference to their minister when he came to dinner
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But Denis’s new film was about an aging Black train conductor living on the outskirts of Paris, who gently pressures his too dutiful daughter to leave their apartment and live her own life. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024 Ralph Fiennes does most of the heavy lifting, playing a dutiful and doubting man overseeing the vote. Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024 Being seen as such—and pious and dutiful to boot—was what gave them the license to speak in public and to write. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 That helps account for the dutiful but often grim tone of the film, in which a pair of Navy men (Wayne, Robert Montgomery) try to convince the higher-ups that their small, maneuverable PT boats have a place in battles others believe will be dominated by larger vessels. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for dutiful 

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dutiful was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near dutiful

Cite this Entry

“Dutiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dutiful. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dutiful

adjective
du·​ti·​ful ˈd(y)üt-i-fəl How to pronounce dutiful (audio)
: having or showing a sense of duty
dutifully adverb
dutifulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dutiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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