as in respectful
marked by or showing proper regard for another's higher status
the family showed a dutiful deference to their minister when he came to dinner
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Recent Examples of dutiful
But another source of revenue is emerging alongside the imposition and dutiful payment of these tariffs—catching tariff cheaters.
—
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Ouattara’s current number two, Tiémoko Meyliet Koné — a respected former central bank governor — is seen as loyal and dutiful, but not a future president.
—Joël Té-Léssia Assoko, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The Daily Show is part of the media activism that dupes Christianity and black performers — on a recent episode, hip-hop radio puppet Charlamagne tha God, enlisted as a dutiful member of the show’s cast, earned his position by cheering on death for POTUS.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 July 2025
With such a broad yet shallow scope, Washington Black occasionally takes on the dutiful feel of an educational video.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Ouattara’s current number two, Tiémoko Meyliet Koné — a respected former central bank governor — is seen as loyal and dutiful, but not a future president.
—Joël Té-Léssia Assoko, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The Daily Show is part of the media activism that dupes Christianity and black performers — on a recent episode, hip-hop radio puppet Charlamagne tha God, enlisted as a dutiful member of the show’s cast, earned his position by cheering on death for POTUS.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 July 2025
With such a broad yet shallow scope, Washington Black occasionally takes on the dutiful feel of an educational video.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dutiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dutiful
Adjective
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How toxic workplaces emerge When managers fail to set clear expectations, communicate openly and model respectful behavior, dysfunction spreads and a toxic workplace is born.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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Setting explicit expectations about respectful communication can reduce uncertainty and encourage collaboration.—
Colleen Tolan,
The Conversation,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And many advocates are promoting a vision of public health that’s less dependent on mandates and appeals to authority, and more deferent to individuals’ beliefs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 Aug. 2025
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The Ptolemaic model depicted planets moving around Earth in a big circle, known as a deferent, then going around a smaller circle while retrograding, called an epicycle.—
Carlie Procell,
USA TODAY,
25 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Dutiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dutiful. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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