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

dutifully

ˈd(y)ü-ti-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

dutifulness

ˈd(y)ü-ti-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of dutiful

• respectful
• deferent

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

But overall, the dutiful Queen seemed to loosen up in the more casual America. —Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026

Ever the dutiful Pearl Girl, Daisy takes Agnes to the dentist to have her tooth fixed. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026

Cronin neither approached the property like a dutiful steward, nor as a fanboy genuflecting before a sacred horror text. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026

So, while the dutiful reader is still turning over basic questions about the nature of witchcraft, the girls are already hurtling up the stairs and out of the basement, and Lucie is crossing paths with Isabelle, a hostile neighbor. —Kristen Roupenian, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dutiful

• undutiful

Kids Definition

dutiful

adjective

du·​ti·​ful ˈd(y)üt-i-fəl 

: having or showing a sense of duty

dutifully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

dutifulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun