duty-bound
adjective
morally obliged as a matter of duty
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duty bound
duty boundObliged, as in You're duty bound to help your little brother. [c. 1900]
duty-bound
Britishadjective
duty bound
Idioms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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That distance recurs often when he becomes a character in the story — almost as if he feels duty-bound to report his actions, but is unwilling to offer insight about himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025
To Williams, it hinted at a more menacing scenario — at secret ties between those who threaten the rule of the law and those duty-bound to enforce it.
From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2025
Sometimes, a patient makes an unconventional choice, but if the patient is competent and the request is fundamentally reasonable, the physician is duty-bound to comply.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2024
In such circumstances, the court “not only has broad discretion, but is in fact duty-bound to take corrective action,” they wrote.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2024
Then, suddenly, with one of her most audible sighs, she stood up and, grim and duty-bound, moved into the washstand area Zooey had vacated.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
“The county prosecutors are duty bound to follow Ohio law,” he wrote, noting that the memo would suffice as he office’s only comment on the matter.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
In his resignation letter, Mr Raab says he feels "duty bound" to accept the outcome of the inquiry but describes its findings as "flawed".
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2023
“I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry,” Raab said in his resignation statement, adding that he was “genuinely sorry.”
From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2023
He said he felt "duty bound" to accept the outcome of the inquiry but also staunchly defended his conduct.
From Reuters ● Apr. 21, 2023
Wallace had not asked Charles to publish his essay, but Charles thought perhaps he was duty bound to arrange for publication.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
