duty

noun

ˈdü-tē How to pronounce duty (audio)
Definition of dutynext
1
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
2
as in task
a piece of work that needs to be done regularly the regular duties of a lifeguard

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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

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 What public programs, and civic duties and privileges, are different groups eligible for? Citizen Green-card holder Long-term visa Short-term visa No valid visa Are you allowed to vote, or run for office, in federal and state elections? —Albert Sun, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Parenthood comes with countless duties and consequences. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 Reports ahead of Trump’s country-specific tariff declaration indicated that the retail giant was pushing its Chinese suppliers to cut prices to offset the impact of the looming duties. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Apr. 2025 Homebuilders warn that tariffs and other charges (including the potential doubling of existing duties on Canadian lumber) on softwood lumber and other materials could further exacerbate the housing affordability crisis. —Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for duty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duty
  1. tax
  2. task
  3. obligation
  4. job
  5. responsibility
  6. assignment
  7. need
Noun
  • This president is pushing, yet again, a plan to gut basic services to give bigger and bigger tax cuts to the wealthy.
    — Julia Cherner, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2025
  • He's tasked with carrying out the other part of the president's economic agenda, sweeping tax cuts.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of tax
Noun
  • Express is a very polished and well-featured product that lets users jump straight into just about any digital design task, but it’s particularly suited to small businesses or independent content creators.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Finding the quintessential Ovechkin game is no small task, not after such an illustrious career.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of task
Noun
  • Influenced by Charles Darwin’s work on evolution, Maine differentiated between a dynamic West that embraced the rights of individuals and a frozen non-West forever caught in the throes of kinship obligations.
    — Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Numerous states and school districts have tried to wiggle out of their legal and financial obligations to educate all students with disabilities, as outlined by federal and state laws.
    — Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • White House officials and Cabinet secretaries fanned out over the weekend to defend Trump's economic strategy, underlining his efforts to spur companies to create more domestic manufacturing jobs and reduce trade deficits with other countries.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementia research, the worker is among thousands who abruptly lost their jobs in the Trump administration’s federal workforce purge.
    — Primary care physicians, Hartford Courant, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of job
Noun
  • Skills and experience requirements: a minimum of 10 years of experience in a professional services leadership role confirmable P&L responsibilities and experience managing large teams.
    — Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Even if these next steps don’t seem like a drastic transition to you, the sheer concept of rigid labels can feel like a pressure point to others—one that comes with more expectations, responsibility, and a level of intimacy that can be intimidating for some.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, right-handed reliever Grant Wolfram was designated for assignment.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Ottavino initially signed with the Yankees on April 1, made two scoreless appearances for them, and was then designated for assignment on April 4.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of assignment
Noun
  • Some committee members have indicated that Southington doesn’t need a bus system, that micro transit services (small buses offering door to door service) would be sufficient to satisfy the public transportation needs of Southington’s residents.
    — George Pohorilak, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The group offers a time for encouragement and a place to share needs, frustrations and victories.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of need

Browse Nearby Words

dutifulness
duty
duumvirate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duty. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on duty

Nglish: Translation of duty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about duty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All