duly
Americanadverb
-
in a proper or fitting manner
-
at the proper time; punctually
Etymology
Origin of duly
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English duelich(e); see due, -ly
Explanation
When you put in a lot of overtime hours at your job, you assume you'll be duly paid. Duly means "properly" or "appropriately." When something is done duly, it's expected, and it's considered proper or right. If someone gives a great speech, you expect that he'll be duly applauded for it. The word due is at the root of duly, and it comes from the Old French word deu, or "to owe." Something that is duly given can also be said to be owed. Be careful not to confuse duly, which rhymes with the name "Julie," with dully, "without liveliness."
Vocabulary lists containing duly
Animal Farm
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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
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13th Amendment (1865)
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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.
Nanning duly reports to the local doctor’s office, where he is granted a small bottle of the “medicine.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Strikingly, Jackson suggested that legislative history may often shed better light on the original meaning of a statute than does its duly enacted text.
From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026
The defending Olympic champion duly followed team orders to attack, but it didn't last long as he straddled a gate high up the course.
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
We’d seen the famously star-studded house, or the casita, in both his San Juan residency and international tour run, which was duly brought back for the halftime show.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
“And in all fairness, I am duly impressed with your skill. The lamp is tidily made. The sygaldry is quite cunning. The engraving precise. It is clever work.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
