line of duty

noun phrase

: all that is authorized, required, or normally associated with some field of responsibility

Examples of line of duty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If a first responder dies in the line of duty, their family is eligible for 100% of their base pay. Louisa Moller, CBS News, 28 May 2026 Family members of some of the 241 officers who died in the line of duty were also present for the annual memorial ceremony, which also featured a volunteer choir and a helicopter flyover. City News Service, Daily News, 27 May 2026 McKnight was the first West Sacramento officer to die in the line of duty and the first officer to die in the line of duty in Yolo County in about 10 years at that time. Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026 The season 1 finale of Boston Blue brings the core ensemble together when Lena is shot in the line of duty. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 Also etched in the base of the memorial are the names of the many Chicago firefighters killed in the line of duty. Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 From sunrise to sunset, flags are lowered to half staff in solemn recognition of the law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Steven G. Xiarhos, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026 According to a State Attorney’s Office spokesperson, there have been as few as two convictions in Florida of police officers who fired their weapons in the line of duty in the last two to three decades. Ella Moore, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026 The holiday honors the men and women who have fallen or been injured in the line of duty, according to National Day Calendar. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of line of duty was circa 1918

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Line of duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20of%20duty. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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