Duty vs Tariff

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Duty

Top 1,000 (very common) B1 noun

Tariff

Formal Top 3,000 (common)

Most formal: Tariff Most common: Duty

	Duty	Tariff
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈdjuːti/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈduːti/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈtærɪf// 🇺🇸 //ˈtærɪf//
Meaning	A responsibility or job that someone must do.	A tax on goods coming into a country.
Example	He felt it was his duty to help the less fortunate.	The government introduced a new tariff on steel imports.
Register	Neutral	Formal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 3,000 (common)
CEFR level	B1	-
Part of speech	noun
Collocations	contractual, legal, statutory, have, owe, carry out, call, under a/​the duty, duty of, duty to, a breach of duty, do your duty by somebody, be duty bound to do something, light, onerous, day, have, pull, see, fall to somebody, manager, officer, doctor, off duty, on duty, the execution of your duties, the performance of your duties, light, onerous, day, have, pull, see, fall to somebody, manager, officer, doctor, off duty, on duty, the execution of your duties, the performance of your duties, heavy, high, low, amount, impose, slap on somebody/​something, increase, be payable, in duty, duty on	impose a tariff, raise a tariff, tariff rates, tariff barriers, tariff policy
Antonyms	irresponsibility, neglect	-
Common mistakes	Confused with 'dutie', incorrect spelling., Using 'duty' with a subject instead of a verb; 'duty to help' not 'duty help'., Not using it with the correct preposition, often omitting 'to'.	Confused with 'tarriff' - common spelling mistake., Misused 'tariff' as a verb - it's only a noun., Overusing in informal contexts - best in formal discussions.
Usage notes	Used in both formal and informal contexts. Often relates to moral or legal responsibilities. Avoid using it in casual conversations where lighter terms like 'task' may fit better.	Used mainly in economic and trade contexts; not suitable for everyday casual conversation. Be careful to use in formal writing or discussions.

See it in real clips

when he'd done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother,

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Picked six men and gave them latrine duty.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

It is the duty of this council

when he'd done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother,

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Picked six men and gave them latrine duty.

Duty

Frequently asked questions: Duty vs Tariff

What's the difference between Duty and Tariff?

Duty: A responsibility or job that someone must do. Tariff: A tax on goods coming into a country.

Which is more formal: Duty and Tariff?

Tariff is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Duty and Tariff?

Duty is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Duty: He felt it was his duty to help the less fortunate. Tariff: The government introduced a new tariff on steel imports.

Can I use Duty and Tariff interchangeably?

Not always. Duty and Tariff are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.