as in respectful
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status
the family showed a dutiful deference to their minister when he came to dinner
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Recent Examples of dutiful
Teddy, meanwhile, has gone all in on his devotion to Jonathan, while still playing the dutiful son for Roper.
—
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton The Bridgerton family's third son, Colin, is enjoying his role this season as a dutiful husband and father to Elliot, the next Lord Featherington.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
With charming Venus in your subtle 12th house nudging lucky Jupiter in your dutiful 6th house, your time will be best spent in quiet, practical actions.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton The Bridgerton family's third son, Colin, is enjoying his role this season as a dutiful husband and father to Elliot, the next Lord Featherington.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
With charming Venus in your subtle 12th house nudging lucky Jupiter in your dutiful 6th house, your time will be best spent in quiet, practical actions.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dutiful
Adjective
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Draft an important note, then revisit instructions, while keeping your tone respectful and firm.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Doing so also models for your kids how to manage difficult relationships in a respectful way.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Ptolemaic model depicted planets moving around Earth in a big circle, known as a deferent, then going around a smaller circle while retrograding, called an epicycle.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
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And many advocates are promoting a vision of public health that’s less dependent on mandates and appeals to authority, and more deferent to individuals’ beliefs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dutiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dutiful. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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