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
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.
Recent Examples of duties
The section Democrats are now invoking, which allows for the permanent removal of a president deemed unable to discharge his duties, has never been used.
—
Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The ship had spent more than a month at Souda Bay, Greece, before rejoining operational duties.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Over 330,000 importers paid a total of $166 billion in IEEPA duties as of March 4, a March 6 court filing by a CBP trade office official said.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has warned that the Justice Department could investigate or prosecute state officials who pursue charges against federal agents tied to their duties.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Brian Stone, the NSF’s chief of staff, has since performed the duties of director in the interim.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Diaz was in the lineup as Perez deals with a sore hip; he was relegated to DH duties.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
The Aviators — who lost to the Renegades, 28-23, on Sunday — announced after Ginn's arrest that offensive coordinator Todd Haley would handle head coaching duties for the team, per Yahoo Sports.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Aircrew may need to limit future radiation doses by limiting future flight duties, with pregnant crew particularly vulnerable.
—Ryan French, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The ship had spent more than a month at Souda Bay, Greece, before rejoining operational duties.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Over 330,000 importers paid a total of $166 billion in IEEPA duties as of March 4, a March 6 court filing by a CBP trade office official said.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has warned that the Justice Department could investigate or prosecute state officials who pursue charges against federal agents tied to their duties.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Brian Stone, the NSF’s chief of staff, has since performed the duties of director in the interim.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Diaz was in the lineup as Perez deals with a sore hip; he was relegated to DH duties.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
The Aviators — who lost to the Renegades, 28-23, on Sunday — announced after Ginn's arrest that offensive coordinator Todd Haley would handle head coaching duties for the team, per Yahoo Sports.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Aircrew may need to limit future radiation doses by limiting future flight duties, with pregnant crew particularly vulnerable.
—Ryan French, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duties
Noun
-
With these machines, the researchers built a mock multi-robot assembly line where three different robotic arms cooperated to complete a sequence of tasks.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Those are the problematic tasks of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Princess Anne is often described as the Queen’s most like-minded child, known for her no-nonsense attitude, dry humor and unwavering commitment to her responsibilities.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
With Mercury and Saturn in your 4th house, this is a good time to divide responsibilities, set a schedule, or make a plan that supports stability.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the plaintiffs’ concerns were ignored and, in 2019, the department retaliated by starting Internal Affairs investigations and imposing a series of negative work actions against the officers, including demotions, removals from specialized assignments and involuntary transfers, suit stated.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His career also includes assignments in China and Afghanistan, as well as work in the private sector prior to joining the Foreign Service.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The budget emphasizes that HUD funding is insufficient to meet rental assistance obligations.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Those obligations were not met.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When people are priced out of their neighborhoods, they are pushed farther away from their jobs, schools and support systems.—
Ryan von Weller,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Players are also connected with jobs via the team’s union.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Be direct about needs, set clear boundaries, and make sure everything is understood.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Innovative, imaginative solutions that meet growth in population, business and agricultural needs.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duties. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
