Synonym Chooser

How does the noun duty contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of duty are assignment, chore, job, stint, and task. While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

When is it sensible to use assignment instead of duty?

In some situations, the words assignment and duty are roughly equivalent. However, assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Where would chore be a reasonable alternative to duty?

The words chore and duty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

When could job be used to replace duty?

The synonyms job and duty are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

In what contexts can stint take the place of duty?

The meanings of stint and duty largely overlap; however, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

When can task be used instead of duty?

Although the words task and duty have much in common, task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

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 duty She and her family were financially devastated, O'Connor said, and her kids couldn't tap into benefits, like college funding, that comes after a line-of-duty death. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025 The Secret Service employee involved in the member's security screening was immediately removed from operational duties and has since been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the review. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 At the time the shooting started, there was no SRO at the school; the on-duty SRO had been dispatched before the incident to the site of an accident nearby, Kelley said. Chantelle Lee, Time, 11 Sep. 2025 And the researchers stressed that the limited number and huge duty areas for game wardens makes patrolling and enforcement of poaching difficult. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for duty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duty
Noun
  • Under reforms announced by the government in July, LTAFs will be available to eligible investors from April 2026 through a Stock and Shares Individual Savings Accounts (ISA), which like SIPPs do not incur tax on capital gains.
    Jenni Reid,Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The exact tax rate hasn’t been set.
    Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On taking the job last year, Enzo Maresca knew that his say in transfers at Stamford Bridge would be limited and that his main task was to concentrate on coaching the team.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The board placed the task of arts grants distribution into the hands of the Parks and Culture Committee and decided to transition its distribution formula to one that divided the total pot of arts funding allocated in the county budget equally among all qualified groups, Tarantino said.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Might the thrill of their ambition congeal into something like obligation?
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • From their standpoint, divorce represents a breakdown not only of a personal relationship but of a social or even moral obligation.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Duncan Wanblad, chief executive of Anglo, will take the top job and Anglo Teck while Teck’s chief executive Jonathan Price, will be his deputy.
    Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • That’s when Billy Napier accepted the Florida job.
    Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Accountability requires taking personal responsibility for your cognitive development.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This shift represents a fundamental change in how professional development happens, with corporations taking direct responsibility for credentialing workers in emerging technologies.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On Tuesday, Charles hit 3-of-7 of her field goal attempts and hit all five of her free throws while taking on the assignment of guarding Storm sharpshooter Gabby Williams.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Offer Meaningful Stretch Assignments And Support Give people stretch assignments that align with their behavioral strengths while pushing them outside their comfort zone.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There are no hard and fast rules regarding the frequency of sweeping, as the floor care needs of each home depend on several different factors.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
  • European officials, by contrast, have consistently emphasized the need to ratchet up sanctions pressure.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duty. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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