Definition of dutiful
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
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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 of dutiful from the Web
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Meg Tilley plays McMahon's dutiful wife, Jeannie, with both pity and compassion.
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Unfortunately, the writer and director, Robin Swicord, displays too little originality for the film to seem like anything but a dutiful copy.
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McGuire was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies during the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, often playing the dutiful wife opposite male stars like Burt Lancaster, Robert Young, Gregory Peck and Gary Cooper.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dutiful'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1552
First Known Use of dutiful
1552
DUTIFUL Defined for English Language Learners
dutiful
playDefinition of dutiful for English Language Learners
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: doing what is expected of you
DUTIFUL Defined for Kids
dutiful
playDefinition of dutiful for Students
: doing or showing the willingness to do what is expected or required a dutiful child
dutifully
\-fə-lē\ adverbLearn More about dutiful
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See words that rhyme with dutiful Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dutiful Spanish Central: Translation of dutiful Nglish: Translation of dutiful for Spanish speakers
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