1
as in taxes
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
Relevance
2
as in tasks
a piece of work that needs to be done regularly
the regular duties of a lifeguard
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in responsibilities
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of duties
After the road trip, Washington, then 73, stepped aside from his managerial duties indefinitely before undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery.
—
Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Høiby has no royal title, performs no official duties and is not in the line of succession.
—Gwladys Fouche, USA Today, 15 June 2026
The treasure keeper has all of the same duties as the usual banker.
—Kirsten Acuna, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
James Mangold took over filmmaking duties on the sequel, which earned negative reviews and underperformed with $384 million at the box office.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 June 2026
Harry and Meghan most recently attended Trooping the Colour in 2022, two years after stepping back from royal duties and moving to the United States.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 15 June 2026
Maternity leave ends in September, and that’s when grandma will take on babysitting duties three days a week.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026
Another conquerer can barely bring themself to carry out the duties required of a victor.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
Of note, recognizing these concerns, the commission voted in December 2025 to establish an ad hoc Governance Committee to review all governing documents and create policies and procedures to allow the pension commission to fulfill its fiduciary duties.
—Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026
Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Høiby has no royal title, performs no official duties and is not in the line of succession.
—Gwladys Fouche, USA Today, 15 June 2026
The treasure keeper has all of the same duties as the usual banker.
—Kirsten Acuna, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
James Mangold took over filmmaking duties on the sequel, which earned negative reviews and underperformed with $384 million at the box office.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 June 2026
Harry and Meghan most recently attended Trooping the Colour in 2022, two years after stepping back from royal duties and moving to the United States.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 15 June 2026
Maternity leave ends in September, and that’s when grandma will take on babysitting duties three days a week.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026
Another conquerer can barely bring themself to carry out the duties required of a victor.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
Of note, recognizing these concerns, the commission voted in December 2025 to establish an ad hoc Governance Committee to review all governing documents and create policies and procedures to allow the pension commission to fulfill its fiduciary duties.
—Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duties
Noun
-
One of the board's first tasks will be reviewing and finalizing the Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
-
If tasks pile up, batch similar actions and protect your calendar edges, since boundaries keep interruptions from scattering your concentration.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Tidy a payment plan with clear checkpoints, and document responsibilities so everyone knows the path and timeline.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
-
The portion the board gets to keep isn’t enough to pay for the staff or other resources to keep up with its responsibilities.—
Phoebe Quinton,
AJC.com,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
They were gathered to learn the crew assignments for Artemis 3, the agency's next mission progressing its efforts to return astronauts to the moon.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
-
According to a 2025 Fact Sheet by the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), at a minimum, 411,549 positions were either unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments, representing about 1 in 8 of all teaching positions nationally.—
Read Alliance,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The United States would have 60 days to fulfill their obligations specified in the agreement, Aragchi said.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
In my experience, real financial strength often includes predictable income, diversified sources, manageable obligations, proper reserves and enough liquidity to handle timing gaps without panic.—
Michael Shribman,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Courts are also deciding lawsuits over whether workers were illegally fired in retaliation for doing their jobs under previous administrations.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Washington — While millions of Americans are struggling to find jobs in a tough labor market, healthcare is emerging as a lifeline for career changers.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Treat your talents like true assets, and let purchases mirror real comfort needs.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 2026
-
Xcel has spent more than $4 billion since 2022, the company’s last electric rate case, and completed a significant amount of work to meet customers’ growing needs, Isenberg said.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duties. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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