dutiful

adjective

du·​ti·​ful ˈdü-ti-fəl 

 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

ˈd(y)ü-ti-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

dutifulness

ˈd(y)ü-ti-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• deferent
• deferential
• regardful
• respectful

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

The energy burst obliterated AL (into a sperm and egg that the dutiful cleaner robot swept up), while Fifteen as a Time Lord was able to absorb the part of the blast directed at Belinda. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 12 Apr. 2025

With numinous Neptune officially transiting your dutiful sixth house of health, work, routines and day-to-day affairs, your lifestyle is evolving. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025

Britain’s rules governing metal detecting require dutiful adherence to reporting requirements, with potential legal consequences for failing to do so. —Ali Watkins, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) After making her small screen debut aged eight, a 14-year-old Knightley entered the big leagues in George Lucas’s sci-fi epic, as a dutiful handmaiden to the pale-faced queen (Natalie Portman), who serves as her steely decoy. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dutiful

• undutiful

Kids Definition

dutiful

adjective

du·​ti·​ful ˈd(y)üt-i-fəl 

: having or showing a sense of duty

dutifully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

dutifulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun