dutiful

[doo-tuh-fuhl, dyoo-]

See more synonyms for dutiful on Thesaurus.com

adjective

performing the duties expected or required of one; characterized by doing one's duty: a dutiful citizen; a dutiful child.
required by duty; proceeding from or expressive of a sense of duty: dutiful attention.

Origin of dutiful

First recorded in 1545–55; duty + -ful

Related formsdu·ti·ful·ly, adverbqua·si-du·ti·ful, adjectivequa·si-du·ti·ful·ly, adverbun·du·ti·ful, adjectiveun·du·ti·ful·ly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. respectful, docile, submissive, duteous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for dutiful

Contemporary Examples

She appeared at his side, impish smile in place, dutiful, fragrantly rather than ferociously sexy, and—frustratingly—an adjunct.
How Can Katie Holmes Escape Tom Cruise—and ‘Dawson’s Creek’?
Tim Teeman
October 30, 2014
Ibrahim made clear to Deputy Dennis Meyer that his daughter was a respectful and dutiful girl of Sudanese extraction.
How ISIS’s Colorado Girls Were Caught
Michael Daly
October 22, 2014
Revered and dutiful, he fought (and was injured) in World War II, and succeeded to the tile in 1953.
For Sale: The $3M British Mountain—With Aristocratic Family Feud Included
Tom Sykes
August 24, 2014
But this detachment gives the biography a dutiful, going-through-the-motions tone.
Clare Boothe Luce's Vapid Second Act
Wendy Smith
July 5, 2014
It is home to Papa Pilgrim, a literal-minded, self-fashioned prophet; his wife, Country Rose; and their 15 dutiful children.
This Week’s Hot Reads, July 15, 2013
Sarah Stodola, Jen Vafidis, Damaris Colhoun
July 15, 2013

Historical Examples

As for Lady Johnson, she is too dutiful and wise a woman to have any wishes that are not her husband's.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
Her impartial and dutiful reasonings on her difficult situation.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
But she was dutiful to him, and he was circumspect in his behaviour before her.
Captain Blood
Rafael Sabatini
And will it suit you to be dutiful if your uncle accepts this monstrous proposal?
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
"What my father says is always correct," replied the dutiful son.
Secret Memoirs: The Story of Louise, Crown Princess
Henry W. Fischer

British Dictionary definitions for dutiful

dutiful

adjective

exhibiting or having a sense of duty
characterized by or resulting from a sense of dutya dutiful answer

Derived Formsdutifully, adverbdutifulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for dutiful

adj.

1550s, from duty + -ful. Related: Dutifully.

dutiful

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}dutiful

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for dutiful

Contemporary Examples

She appeared at his side, impish smile in place, dutiful, fragrantly rather than ferociously sexy, and—frustratingly—an adjunct.

Ibrahim made clear to Deputy Dennis Meyer that his daughter was a respectful and dutiful girl of Sudanese extraction.

Revered and dutiful, he fought (and was injured) in World War II, and succeeded to the tile in 1953.

But this detachment gives the biography a dutiful, going-through-the-motions tone.

It is home to Papa Pilgrim, a literal-minded, self-fashioned prophet; his wife, Country Rose; and their 15 dutiful children.

Historical Examples

As for Lady Johnson, she is too dutiful and wise a woman to have any wishes that are not her husband's.

Her impartial and dutiful reasonings on her difficult situation.

But she was dutiful to him, and he was circumspect in his behaviour before her.

And will it suit you to be dutiful if your uncle accepts this monstrous proposal?

"What my father says is always correct," replied the dutiful son.

dutiful

Word Origin and History for dutiful

adj.

Origin of dutiful