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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In the world of Martin’s books, even the most duty-bound characters must find their compass in the shadow of life and memory.
From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2026
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
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
“Nevertheless, we are duty-bound to ensure that a defendant in a criminal trial is not convicted based on insufficient evidence or erroneous jury instructions that were not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 31, 2024
They can’t hurt it, because of the wire cage, but Ms. Warner still feels duty-bound to stop them.
From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead
Mr Colbert refused to sign, saying he feels duty bound to speak out about his experience.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2024
“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
He said he felt "duty bound" to accept the outcome of the inquiry but also staunchly defended his conduct.
From Reuters ● Apr. 21, 2023
That’s what we try to get them to do all the time, seeking to coax tiny morsels of information out of people we know are duty bound not to disclose it.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 8, 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.
