temporary duty: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (B2-C1)Formal, Administrative, Military, Corporate
Quick answer
What does “temporary duty” mean?
A short-term assignment or official task for a person, especially a military or government employee, away from their normal station or location.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A short-term assignment or official task for a person, especially a military or government employee, away from their normal station or location.
Any short-term work assignment or responsibility, often implying travel and a defined duration, in corporate, governmental, or military contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is common in both US and UK military/government jargon. In British civilian corporate contexts, 'short-term assignment' or 'secondment' might be more frequent.
Connotations
In US military contexts (where 'TDY' is the common abbreviation), it carries strong administrative and logistical connotations (travel, per diem, lodging). In UK contexts, it may be perceived as more formal or dated officialese.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English, particularly due to widespread use in the Department of Defense and associated contractor language.
Grammar
How to Use “temporary duty” in a Sentence
be on temporary duty (in/at [location])be assigned temporary duty (as [role])send someone on temporary dutycomplete a period of temporary dutyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “temporary duty” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was seconded to the Paris office for six months.
- She has been detailed to the NATO project.
American English
- He got TDY'd to Germany for the training exercise.
- They're sending her on temporary duty to the corporate headquarters.
adverb
British English
- He is working temporarily in Brussels.
- She was assigned there on a temporary basis.
American English
- He is stationed temporarily at Fort Bragg.
- She travelled TDY to attend the conference.
adjective
British English
- He received a temporary-duty posting to Cyprus.
- The temporary-duty assignment lasted three weeks.
American English
- She is on TDY status until next month.
- He filed his temporary-duty travel voucher.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used formally in large organisations for employees sent to other offices or client sites for a defined project period.
Academic
Rare; might appear in administrative contexts regarding staff travel for conferences or research.
Everyday
Uncommon except for those in military, government, or international corporate roles.
Technical
A standard administrative term in military logistics, government HR, and multinational corporate policy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “temporary duty”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “temporary duty”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “temporary duty”
- Using it as an adjective ('He is temporary duty' instead of 'He is on temporary duty').
- Confusing 'temporary duty' with a permanent relocation.
- Misspelling the common US acronym as 'TAD' (Temporary Additional Duty, a variant).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a specific type of business trip, usually longer-term (weeks/months) and formalised with official orders, common in government/military contexts.
Yes, though less common. It is used in formal corporate, governmental, and NGO settings to describe a non-permanent assignment at another location.
TDY (Temporary Duty) is a short-term assignment where the service member's home station does not change. PCS (Permanent Change of Station) is a permanent relocation to a new duty station.
In formal usage, especially military/government, it typically involves entitlements like travel reimbursement, per diem for meals/lodging, and sometimes special pay.
A short-term assignment or official task for a person, especially a military or government employee, away from their normal station or location.
Temporary duty is usually formal, administrative, military, corporate in register.
Temporary duty: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtɛm.p(ə)r.ər.i ˈdʒuː.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtɛm.pəˌrer.i ˈduː.ti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “TDY and permanent change of station (PCS) are the two main types of moves.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
TEMPORARY DUTY = TEMPORarily Away from Your Usual duTY.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORK ASSIGNMENT IS A TOUR OF DUTY (temporary, mobile, with a defined mission).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common US military abbreviation for 'temporary duty'?