DUTY Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

duty

noun

ˈdü-tē

Definition of duty next

as in tax

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

as in task

a piece of work that needs to be done regularly the regular duties of a lifeguard

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in obligation

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

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

Examples 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 At the same time, over half of experts acknowledged that AI will drastically reshape their work duties in the next few years while maintaining a positive outlook for their career prospects. —

Hilary Tetenbaum, The Arizona Republic, 18 Dec. 2024 While specific directives are still under consideration, such changes could affect where and how federal employees perform their duties. —

Tom Spiggle, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 The importance of age as a powerful marker of authority — a principle that derives from the influence of Confucianism in Korean society — is vividly on display as junior officers and rank-and-file soldiers are caught, sometimes tragically, between these concepts and their duty to the nation. —

Richard Kuipers, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024 Spider-Verse vets Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson will share duties, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. —

Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for duty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for duty

Noun

Some believe that this type of 'golden passport' encourages money laundering and tax evasion.

Alex Ledsom, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

Heather Knight, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025