duty

noun

ˈdü-tē How to pronounce duty (audio)
Definition of dutynext
1
as in tax
a charge usually of money collected by the government from people or businesses for public use the shop at the airport charges no duty on tourist memorabilia

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in task
a piece of work that needs to be done regularly the regular duties of a lifeguard

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in obligation
something one must do because of prior agreement I must obey the call of duty and serve my country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun duty contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of duty are assignment, chore, job, stint, and task. While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

When is it sensible to use assignment instead of duty?

In some situations, the words assignment and duty are roughly equivalent. However, assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Where would chore be a reasonable alternative to duty?

The words chore and duty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

When could job be used to replace duty?

The synonyms job and duty are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

In what contexts can stint take the place of duty?

The meanings of stint and duty largely overlap; however, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

When can task be used instead of duty?

Although the words task and duty have much in common, task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of duty By making reporting a legal duty, states hope to turn bystanders into protectors. —Nina A. Kohn, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 The peekaboo bra layering trend saw a resurgence in 2024, thanks in part to celebrities like Katie Holmes, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kristen Stewart and more styling the trend on the red carpet and with their off-duty attire. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 There was only one controller on duty at Napoléon Bonaparte airport in Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, at the time of the incident. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025 In 2024, off-duty Fort Worth police officers took over security patrols from a firm called Texas Industrial Security. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for duty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duty
  1. tax
  2. task
  3. obligation
  4. job
  5. responsibility
  6. assignment
  7. need
Noun
  • That deal was struck in lieu of a retaliatory capital tax on foreign investors that was passed in the House version of the bill but was later removed by the Senate.
    — Tobias Burns, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The protests, called Make Billionaires Pay, have been planned to coincide with world leaders coming to New York for the UN General Assembly and Climate Week and seek to make billionaires pay higher tax, support the climate and protect migrants.
    — Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of tax
Noun
  • Soldiers have also been spotted in parks carrying out tasks typically assigned to gardeners and landscapers – shoveling mulch, blowing leaves and scooping up trash.
    — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The games, which task Mario with defying gravity in an effort to save Princess Peach from Bowser, have been lauded by gamers as some of the best titles in the sprawling Super Mario canon.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of task
Noun
  • Similar American drone sales to the UAE and Qatar will likely proceed once Washington reinterprets its obligations under that 1987 treaty, and will probably exceed the number China has sold to the region to date.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Live records could also be a way of fulfilling a contractual obligation (too many examples to cite) or a way to mollify fans who were going to have to wait a while for another studio record (Fleetwood Mac’s 1980’s concert record, which bridged the gap between Tusk and Mirage).
    — David Browne, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • Many have been fired from their jobs, disciplined, or publicly shamed for criticizing the conservative commentator.
    — Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Google began dropping degree requirements for a wide range of jobs in 2024, shifting focus to proof of skills and real-world projects.
    — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of job
Noun
  • The Police Department is not charged with the same responsibilities as federal law enforcement, Williams said.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2025
  • On a Cover 3 call, Malik Hooker comes underneath rather than taking Robinson down the field like his responsibility calls for.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • First baseman Nolan Schanuel is expected to start a minor-league rehab assignment with Salt Lake on Wednesday, and catcher Logan O’Hoppe was reinstated from the seven-day concussion list and in the starting lineup against Milwaukee.
    — Andrew Wagner, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The most successful companies will be those whose platforms are not just available for assignments but are essential to completing them — and could eventually land students a job.
    — Melody Brue, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of assignment
Noun
  • The Global South's innovation ecosystem shows us that technology can emerge from and serve local needs.
    — Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Given City’s soft centre has come from a failure to cope with counter-attacks and a lack of pace to defend in a high line, Khusanov may just be the blunt force antidote Guardiola needs.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of need

Browse Nearby Words

dutifulness
duty
duumvirate
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Cite this Entry

“Duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duty. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on duty

Nglish: Translation of duty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about duty

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