dutiful
adjective
du·ti·ful
ˈdü-ti-fəl 
also ˈdyü-
1
: filled with or motivated by a sense of duty
a dutiful child
2
: proceeding from or expressive of a sense of duty
a dutiful effort
Examples of dutiful in a Sentence
the dutiful way he took care of his sick mother
the family showed a dutiful deference to their minister when he came to dinner
Recent Examples on the Web
And in this rote, dutiful steadiness, I was struck by the patient sincerity of it all—and by a sense that these believers were already fomenting, in admittedly small numbers, the kind of unity that Esperanto’s skeptics say the language could never help facilitate.
—
Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Gray’s latest film, about a two New York City brothers — one a get-rich-quick ex-cop (Adam Driver) and another a dutiful hardworking engineer family man (Miles Teller) — isn’t a mere exercise in the 1980s crime milieu, but rather a very personal family story for the director.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 May 2026
When responses lag or feel dutiful rather than enthusiastic, they're already mentally checked out.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Or a group of high-minded, dutiful, quite-conscientious California voters?
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Gray’s latest film, about a two New York City brothers — one a get-rich-quick ex-cop (Adam Driver) and another a dutiful hardworking engineer family man (Miles Teller) — isn’t a mere exercise in the 1980s crime milieu, but rather a very personal family story for the director.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 May 2026
When responses lag or feel dutiful rather than enthusiastic, they're already mentally checked out.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Or a group of high-minded, dutiful, quite-conscientious California voters?
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Cite this Entry
“Dutiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dutiful. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dutiful
adjective
du·ti·ful
ˈd(y)üt-i-fəl
: having or showing a sense of duty
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
