relieved of duty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "relieved of duty" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means to be officially removed from one's job or responsibilities. Example: After several complaints from colleagues, the manager was relieved of duty and a thorough investigation into their behavior was conducted.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And was relieved of duty.

The Washington Post

Officers are almost never relieved of duty.

The New Yorker

Colonel Leberman was relieved of duty.

The New York Times

But the dolphins won't be relieved of duty.

The Guardian

Starks has now been relieved of duty, though he is still on the LRPD payroll.

The Washington Post

Colonel Leberman was relieved of duty the day the accusations became public in January.

The New York Times

Following state protocol, all 11 of these officers have been relieved of duty while the state investigates their shootings.

The Washington Post

April 2014: Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is relieved of duty as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The Washington Post

The Minot-Barksdale inquiry ended up faulting several servicemen who were relieved of duty, while 70 others were punished.

The New York Times

And I'm not just talking about a one-star," he added, referring to Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, the commander at Abu Ghraib who was relieved of duty.

The New Yorker

Adm. Husband Kimmel and Gen. Walter Short, the Navy and Army commanders on Oahu, were relieved of duty, and official investigations were begun at once.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "relieved of duty", ensure the context clearly indicates who removed the person from their position and the reason, if known, to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "relieved of duty" without specifying who initiated the action. Vague phrasing can obscure responsibility and confuse the reader. For instance, instead of 'He was relieved of duty', clarify with 'The commander relieved him of duty'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relieved of duty" functions as a passive construction indicating the removal of someone from their assigned responsibilities or position. Ludwig provides numerous examples across various sources to illustrate this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "relieved of duty" signifies the official removal of an individual from their responsibilities, predominantly used in military, law enforcement, and professional contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and high frequency, particularly within news and media. While alternatives such as "removed from command" or "suspended from service" exist, the key is to maintain clarity regarding who initiated the action and why. Avoiding passive voice ambiguity ensures effective communication. In summary, "relieved of duty" is a versatile phrase that writers can use in the correct contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Removed from command

Focuses on the military or hierarchical aspect of the removal.

Suspended from service

Implies a temporary removal pending investigation or further action.

Discharged from responsibilities

Highlights the cessation of duties and accountabilities.

Dismissed from employment

Emphasizes the termination of a job or role.

Terminated from position

Indicates a formal end to someone's tenure in a specific role.

Replaced in the role

Focuses on the act of someone else taking over the duties.

Replaced from assignment

The term emphasizes that an assignment has been changed.

Released from obligation

Highlights the freeing of someone from a commitment.

Let go from job

A more informal way of saying someone was fired or dismissed.

Taken off the case

Specifically refers to being removed from a particular project or investigation.

FAQs

How is "relieved of duty" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "relieved of duty" is commonly used in the passive voice to indicate that someone has been officially removed from their position. For example, "The officer was "relieved of duty" pending an investigation".

What are some alternatives to "relieved of duty"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "removed from command", "suspended from service", or "dismissed from employment" as alternatives to "relieved of duty".

What's the difference between "relieved of duty" and "fired"?

"Relieved of duty" is often used in military or law enforcement contexts and may imply a temporary removal pending investigation. "Fired" /s/fired is a more general term for being dismissed from a job and often implies a more permanent termination.

Is "relieved of duty" a formal or informal phrase?

"Relieved of duty" is generally considered a neutral to formal phrase, often used in official reports, news articles, and professional communications. It is less common in informal conversation.