DUTIFUL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dutiful mean? 

• DUTIFUL (adjective)
  The adjective DUTIFUL has 1 sense:

1. willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect

  Familiarity information: DUTIFUL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DUTIFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect

Synonyms:

duteous; dutiful

Context example:

Patient Griselda was a chaste and duteous wife

Similar:

obedient (dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority)

Derivation:

dutifulness (piety by virtue of devotion to duty)

 Context examples 

Neither was I surprised when, on the very next day, Uriah, like a dutiful son, brought his worthy mother to take possession.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But you knew what a dutiful creature you had to deal with.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Bertha, like a dutiful child, copied her parent in both points.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

If he really sought to reconcile himself like a dutiful branch, he must be forgiven for having dismembered himself from the paternal tree.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

"I'll do my best to gratify you, Sir," was Laurie's unusually dutiful reply, as he carefully unpinned the posy Jo had put in his buttonhole.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He wishes me to convey his love, and to say that by this post I write for him to Mr. Peter Hawkins, Exeter, to say, with his dutiful respects, that he is sorry for his delay, and that all of his work is completed.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It was but the day before that Crawford had made himself thoroughly master of the subject, or had in fact become at all aware of her having such a brother, or his being in such a ship, but the interest then excited had been very properly lively, determining him on his return to town to apply for information as to the probable period of the Antwerp's return from the Mediterranean, etc.; and the good luck which attended his early examination of ship news the next morning seemed the reward of his ingenuity in finding out such a method of pleasing her, as well as of his dutiful attention to the Admiral, in having for many years taken in the paper esteemed to have the earliest naval intelligence.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

This critique, the justness of which was unfortunately lost on poor Catherine, brought them to the door of Mrs. Thorpe's lodgings, and the feelings of the discerning and unprejudiced reader of Camilla gave way to the feelings of the dutiful and affectionate son, as they met Mrs. Thorpe, who had descried them from above, in the passage.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

A word of encouragement and explanation, of pity for my childish ignorance, of welcome home, of reassurance to me that it was home, might have made me dutiful to him in my heart henceforth, instead of in my hypocritical outside, and might have made me respect instead of hate him.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

So taught by love and sorrow, Jo wrote her little stories, and sent them away to make friends for themselves and her, finding it a very charitable world to such humble wanderers, for they were kindly welcomed, and sent home comfortable tokens to their mother, like dutiful children whom good fortune overtakes.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)