duty

1 of 2

noun

du·​ty ˈdü-tē How to pronounce duty (audio)
 also  ˈdyü-
plural duties
1
: conduct due to parents and superiors : respect
filial duty and obedienceJohn Locke
2
a
: obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a group)
was his duty to support his family
Her primary duty at the meeting was to take attendance.
performs a variety of administrative duties
b(1)
: assigned service or business
was put on kitchen duty
jury duty
(2)
: active military service
returning from duty overseas
(3)
: a period of being on duty
report for duty at 7 a.m.
3
a
: a moral or legal obligation
felt it was their duty to help
b
: the force of moral obligation
will be ready when duty calls
4
: tax
especially : a tax on imports
a 15 percent duty
5
b(1)
: the service required (as of an electric machine) under specified conditions
(2)
: functional application : use
got double duty out of the trip
(3)
: use as a substitute
making the word do duty for the thingEdward Sapir

duty

2 of 2

adjective

1
: done as a duty
pay a duty call on her elderly aunt
2
: being on duty : assigned to specified tasks or functions
the duty officer
Phrases
off duty
: free from assignment or responsibility
a police officer who was off duty at the time
on duty
: engaged in or responsible for an assigned task or duty
not allowed to take personal calls while on duty
Choose the Right Synonym for duty

function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing.

function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information Aldous Huxley

office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor W. E. Gladstone

duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case R. B. Taney

province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire Anne Brontë

task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Examples of duty in a Sentence

Noun His primary duty at the event is to take attendance. If new employees are unable to carry out their duties, they may be fired. We felt it was our duty to help. He has a duty to support his family. They helped her out of a sense of duty. I'll be ready when duty calls. Her brother returned from duty overseas. a twelve-month tour of duty Many reserve troops were called into active duty.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Three officers have been placed on administrative duty and Wauwatosa Police Department is leading the investigation into the shooting. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024 The Department of Defense announced Saturday that Miramar native and U.S. Navy sailor Oriola Michael Aregbesola died during duty in the Red Sea on March 20, 2024. Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024 In recent months, the Prince of Wales has remained committed to his royal duties, while Princess Kate and King Charles III have been forced to step back amid their health woes. Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 Queen Camilla has stepped in to take over some of her husband's duties in recent weeks. Lauren Frayer, NPR, 23 Mar. 2024 Charles was advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties while undergoing a schedule of regular treatments but will continue to undertake state business and official paperwork, the palace says. Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024 Security Downgrade: Prince Harry lost a legal battle over the downgrading of his security in Britain, as a judge ruled that the government was entitled to change the level of police protection for a member of the royal family who was no longer carrying out official duties. Mark Landler, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024 His son, Jason Reitman, directed Afterlife, but this time turned over helming duties to series co-scribe Gil Kenan. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2024 After the tragic death of Ghostbusters co-creator Ivan Reitman in February 2022, Jason Reitman eventually relinquished Frozen Empire’s directorial duties to his writing partner on these two most recent Ghostbusters films, Kenan. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024
Adjective
His personnel file shows suspensions for not conducting his rounds during a shift while being shadowed by a recruit and for losing his duty belt and service weapon, which were reportedly stolen from his unlocked vehicle. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 28 June 2023 The gas-engine machines here are pro-duty and take the 50:1 gas-oil fuel mix. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 20 Mar. 2023 That included a gap of $714 in base pay and $1,204 in extra-duty pay. Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2023 This is a light, easy-to-handle machine with adequate power for mid-duty jobs. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 21 Feb. 2023 On Wednesday, the city revoked the special event permit for the Aurora Pride group to hold the parade, saying not enough police officers had signed up for overtime or extra-duty shifts to provide adequate security for the event. Megan Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2022 The situation began shortly after 7 p.m. at the Neiman Marcus store when an Orlando police officer working an extra-duty shift at the mall kicked out a man of the store for acting oddly. David Harris, Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2022 The school board and the union also plan to change the district’s retirement program, extra-duty pay and the tuition reimbursement plan, and, according to the agreement, teachers’ workday will start and end 15 minutes before and after the students’. Daniel I. Dorfman, chicagotribune.com, 15 Mar. 2022 Statewide peer coordinator Jeff Orrange said the nonprofit’s 2016 founding was not just in response to the Pulse shooting but also the rising numbers of non-duty deaths among firefighters, including those resulting from addiction and suicide. Kalia Richardson, orlandosentinel.com, 9 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'duty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English duete, from Anglo-French deueté, dueté, from deu due

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of duty was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near duty

Cite this Entry

“Duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duty. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

duty

noun
du·​ty
ˈd(y)üt-ē
plural duties
1
: conduct due to parents and superiors : respect
2
: the action required by one's position or occupation
3
a
: a moral or legal obligation
b
: the force of moral obligation
4
: tax entry 2 sense 1
especially : a tax on imports
5
: the service required (as of an electric machine)
withstands heavy duty

Legal Definition

duty

noun
du·​ty
plural duties
1
: tasks, service, or functions that arise from one's position
performing a police officer's duties
also : a period of being on duty see also jury duty
2
: an obligation assumed (as by contract) or imposed by law to conduct oneself in conformance with a certain standard or to act in a particular way
duty of good faith
a duty to warn of danger
see also public duty doctrine, special duty doctrine
duty of candor \ -​ˈkan-​dər \
: a duty obligating directors of a corporation to disclose all material facts known to them about a transaction when they are seeking shareholder approval
duty of care
: a duty to use due care toward others in order to protect them from unnecessary risk of harm
duty of fair representation
: a duty obligating a labor union to represent the employees in its collective bargaining unit fairly and in good faith
duty of loyalty
: a duty obligating directors of a corporation to refrain from using their positions to further their own interests rather than the interests of the shareholders (as by self-dealing or fraud)
fiduciary duty
: a duty obligating a fiduciary (as an agent or trustee) to act with loyalty and honesty and in a manner consistent with the best interests of the beneficiary of the fiduciary relationship (as a principal or trust beneficiary)
3
: tax
especially : a tax on imports
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French deuté indebtedness, obligation, from deu owing, due, from Old French see due

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