Crossword Genius

Tear around always dutiful (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

reverent

'dutiful' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'tear around always' is the wordplay.
'tear' becomes 'rent' (synonyms).
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'always' becomes 'ever' (synonyms).
'rent' placed around 'ever' is 'REVERENT'.

(Other definitions for reverent that I've seen before include "worshipping" , "Showing great respect" , "Respectful, deferential" , "Showing holy respect" , "Showing devout awe" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.