in the line of duty
idiom
: while doing one's job
a soldier/policeman/fireman who was killed in the line of duty
Examples of in the line of duty in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hundreds of Patriots fans in Denver for Sunday’s AFC Championship will be rallying together Saturday night, with all funds raised supporting a cause in honor of a Massachusetts native killed in the line of duty a decade ago.
—
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Simmons and Schweitzer alleged that was done in retaliation for them advocating on behalf of police officers injured in the line of duty.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
Hundreds of police officers attended the wake for Uxbridge police officer Stephen LaPorta Wednesday afternoon, a week after he was killed in the line of duty.
—Mike Toole, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
The last time annual officer fatalities were at a comparable level was in 1943, when 94 officers were killed in the line of duty.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the line of duty
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Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Simmons and Schweitzer alleged that was done in retaliation for them advocating on behalf of police officers injured in the line of duty.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
Hundreds of police officers attended the wake for Uxbridge police officer Stephen LaPorta Wednesday afternoon, a week after he was killed in the line of duty.
—Mike Toole, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
The last time annual officer fatalities were at a comparable level was in 1943, when 94 officers were killed in the line of duty.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the line of duty
Cite this Entry
“In the line of duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20line%20of%20duty. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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