due

1 of 3

adjective

ˈdü 

ˈdyü

1

: owed or owing as a debt

is due a full week's pay

2

a

: owed or owing as a natural or moral right

finally got the recognition she was due

give credit where credit is due

everyone's right to dissent … is due the full protection of the Constitution

—Nat Hentoff

b

: according to accepted notions or procedures : appropriate

with all due respect

3

a

: satisfying or capable of satisfying a need, obligation, or duty : adequate

giving the matter due attention

b

: regular, lawful

due proof of loss

4

: capable of being attributed : ascribable

—used with to

this advance is partly due to a few men of genius

—A. N. Whitehead

5

: having reached the date at which payment is required : payable

the rent is due

6

: required or expected in the prescribed, normal, or logical course of events : scheduled

The train is due at noon.

When is the baby due?

also : expected to give birth

has a friend who is due in April

dueness noun

due

2 of 3

noun

: something due (see due entry 1) or owed: such as

a

: something that rightfully belongs to one

give him his due

b

: a payment or obligation required by law or custom : debt

c

dues plural : fees, charges

membership dues

due

3 of 3

adverb

1

: directly, exactly

due north

2

obsolete : duly

Synonyms

Adjective

• mature

Adverb

• exactly
• full
• just
• precisely
• right
• sharp
• smack-dab
• squarely

Example Sentences

Adjective

My wife is due in three weeks.

The bill is due at the end of the month.

The balance is now due.

The amount due is 45 dollars.

Noun

Dues are increasing this year.

Workers are required to join the union and pay dues.

He deserves to be given his due.

Adverb

the island lies due south of the headland

a plane flying due east

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Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Penny has not yet entered a plea in the case, and is due back in court July 17, free on a $100,000 bond. —Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023

As a result, minimum rent was due, the city informed SeaWorld. —Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2023

On the other hand, if her $1 million policy was instead owned by her life insurance trust, the $1 million in insurance would not be included in her estate, and no tax is due. —Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 16 May 2023

My mother was pregnant with a much longed-for second child, due in the autumn. —Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2023

Because with all due respect, there must be a foundation to meet any challenge. —Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 13 May 2023

California’s budget challenges are due in large part to lower tax collections due to a sagging stock market. —Adam Beam, Fortune, 12 May 2023

National attention surrounding Vallow’s case was due in part to the grisly details of the crimes. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2023

Morgan Stanley estimates that approximately $1.5 trillion will be due by the end of 2025, potentially leading to a wave of loan defaults. —Carter Evans, CBS News, 11 May 2023

Noun

In addition to the monthly dues that Liberty members paid for coverage of their medical bills, all of these ventures benefited from taxpayer money. —J. David Mcswane, ProPublica, 15 May 2023

Unfortunately, Black people from every corner of the diaspora have demonstrably not been given their due in the mainstream. —Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 21 Apr. 2023

If fewer than 60 percent of eligible employees actually pay dues, the union will need to be recertified. —The Editors, National Review, 3 May 2023

The part of the bill preventing automatic deductions of union dues would force union members to make separate payments, which would be less convenient. —Jim Saunders, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2023

In an organized workplace, are union dues a requirement for the workers? —Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2023

Michigan lawmakers were poised to take up legislation late Wednesday to repeal Michigan's right-to-work law that allows workers in unionized jobs to opt out of paying union dues and fees. —Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2023

Some states have already ended automatic dues deductions, with Arkansas in April being the latest. —The Editors, National Review, 3 May 2023

The seven plaintiffs say that the restaurant spent at least some of that money—meant to pay workers and keep restaurants afloat as Covid-19 forced eateries to shut down—on extravagances like private planes and country-club dues. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 2 May 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Adverb

Middle English, from Anglo-French deu, past participle of dever to owe, from Latin debēre — more at debt

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing due

• due date
• due diligence
• due to
• due process
• in due course
• postage-due stamp
• holder in due course
• procedural due process
• with (all) (due) respect
• due for
• substantive due process
• come due
• with due regard to
• in due time
• past due

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• due date
• due diligence
• due to
• due process
• in due course
• postage-due stamp
• holder in due course
• procedural due process
• with (all) (due) respect
• due for
• substantive due process
• come due
• with due regard to
• in due time
• past due

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Kids Definition

due

1 of 3 adjective

ˈd(y)ü 

1

: owed or owing as a debt or right

respect due to the court

2

: according to accepted beliefs or procedures : appropriate entry 2

treat the judge with due respect

3

a

: sufficient, adequate

arrived in due time

b

: regular entry 1 sense 2a, lawful

due process of law

4

: being a result

—used with to

accidents due to carelessness

5

: having reached the date at which payment is required

bills are due

6

: required or expected to happen

due to arrive any minute now

due

2 of 3 noun

1

: something owed : debt

2

plural : a regular or legal charge or fee

membership dues

due

3 of 3 adverb

: directly entry 1 sense 1, exactly

due north

Medical Definition

due

adjective

ˈd(y)ü 

: expected to be born in the normal course of events

the baby is due in November

also : expected to give birth

she's due this month

Legal Definition

due

adjective

1

a

: satisfying or capable of satisfying an obligation, duty, or requirement under the law

the buyer's due performance under the contract

due proof of loss

b

: proper under the law

obstructing due administration of justice

2

: capable of being attributed

—used with to

any loss due to neglect

3

a

: having reached the date at which payment is required : payable

b

: owed though not yet required to be paid

4

: reasonable sense 1a, b

Etymology

Adjective

Old French deu, past participle of devoir to owe, from Latin debere