Duty
Duty noun - Something one must do because of prior agreement.
Usage example: I must obey the call of duty and serve my country
Obligation is a synonym for duty in responsibility topic. In some cases you can use "Obligation" instead a noun "Duty", when it comes to topics like purpose, job, relationship, contribution. popular alternative
Obligation
Obligation noun - Something one must do because of prior agreement.
Usage example: their financial obligations keep them from giving to charities as much as they would like
Duty is a synonym for obligation in responsibility topic. You can use "Duty" instead a noun "Obligation", if it concerns topics such as purpose, relationship, contribution, finance. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- commitment and duty
- commitment and obligation
- engagement and duty
- engagement and obligation
- compulsion and duty
- compulsion and obligation
- business and duty
- business and obligation
- liability and duty
- liability and obligation
- responsibility and duty
- responsibility and obligation
- charge and duty
- charge and obligation
How words are described
| particular | particular duty | particular obligation |
| original | original duty | original obligation |
| true | true duty | true obligation |
| legal | legal duty | legal obligation |
| Other adjectives: ethical, unpleasant, actual, real, social, personal, moral, holy, religious, filial, military, primary, magical, familial, newfound. | ||
Both words in one sentence
- Compare and contrast with Thicker Than Water, Undying Loyalty, or True Companionship, or a sense of obligation or duty, which can be devotions to roles or positions rather than to people.
Source: Act of True Love - Twilight Samurai and The Hidden Blade by Yoji Yamada both aim to bring giri to the contemporary audience in a way that humanizes the struggles of one's obligation/duty.
Source: Pillars of Moral Character - A minor villain in The Destroyer believes that it is not only a man's right, but in fact his duty and obligation to have sex with women whenever he can, regardless of what they feel about it.
Source: Post-Rape Taunt
Cite this Source
Obligation and Duty. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/duty/obligation
Duty & Obligation. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/duty/obligation>.
Obligation or Duty. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/duty/obligation.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "duty" and "obligation" have occurred on timeline