dutiful

[ doo-tuh-fuhl, dyoo- ]

adjective

1. performing the duties expected or required of one; characterized by doing one's duty: a dutiful child.

   a dutiful citizen;

   a dutiful child.

   Synonyms: duteous, submissive, obedient, deferential, respectful

2. required by duty; proceeding from or expressive of a sense of duty:

   dutiful attention.

dutiful

/ ˈdjuːtɪfʊl /

adjective

1. exhibiting or having a sense of duty
2. characterized by or resulting from a sense of duty

   a dutiful answer

Derived Forms

• ˈdutifully, adverb
• ˈdutifulness, noun

Other Words From

• du·ti·ful·ly adverb
• qua·si-du·ti·ful adjective
• un·du·ti·ful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dutiful¹

First recorded in 1545–55; duty + -ful

Example Sentences

First and foremost, our identification is imprinted upon Moore’s character, Cathy Whitaker, a housewife living within a picture-perfect existence as an ideal and dutiful homemaker.

From Washington Blade

The look wasn’t indulgent or even dutiful, it was polite verging on dismissive.

From Time

It is my first memory of my mother, a dutiful military wife of the era, openly staking out a position opposing my father.

From Washington Post

Toni Collette is Marina, the dutiful, focused captain of a ship headed to Mars.

From Time

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

From The Daily Beast

A cousin took me to the National Frontier Trail Museum, where I jotted down dutiful notes.

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

It is dutiful for some to give themselves to the work of the ministry, and to vow to do its duties; but not dutiful for all.

From Project Gutenberg

To the greatest extent of the capacities of all, it is dutiful for them to obtain and distribute copies of the blessed word.

From Project Gutenberg

Was it dutiful for the priests to read it to the people of Israel assembled at their solemn feasts?

From Project Gutenberg

Was it dutiful to make use of one copy of the law for instructing the people, when only one could be obtained?

From Project Gutenberg

It is dutiful for all who have the whole word of God, to use every lawful means in their power to make others know it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• conscientious