Synonyms for dutiful
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Pious
pious, reverent, respectful, deferential, reverential, moral
2. Obedient
obedient, submissive, compliant, duteous dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Accepting of one's legal or moral obligations and willing to do them well, and without complaint.
Ralph was a dutiful child, and took the trash out without being told.
- adj. 2
Pertaining to one's duty; demonstrative of one's sense of duty.
Related words
- Word family
- dutifully dutifulness
Example sentences
- respectful I stood at a respectful distance from the old man.
- pious Although I am a pious man, I am not the less a man.
- reverent With deep and reverent awe I replaced the candelabrum in its former position.
- deferential Ziri was always deferential around Rima's mother.
- submissive Men are subconsciously attracted to submissive women.
- obedient I doubt very seriously that Tom will be obedient.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| dutiful | rising | |
| respectful | rising | |
| pious | steady | |
| reverent | rising | |
| deferential | rising | |
| submissive | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- moral2, pious2
- 7 letters
- duteous
- 8 letters
- obedient4, reverent3
- 9 letters
- compliant3
- 10 letters
- respectful3, submissive3
- 11 letters
- deferential4, reverential4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (moral2 = 2 syllables).