business

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as in patronage
transactions or economic support provided by customers only places that are equal opportunity employers will get my business

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in commerce
the buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places this bookstore is a place of business, not a free library, so please do your reading elsewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in purpose
the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists plants going about the business of photosynthesis provide the Earth with a renewable source of oxygen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun business differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of business are calling, employment, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When is it sensible to use calling instead of business?

In some situations, the words calling and business are roughly equivalent. However, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When would employment be a good substitute for business?

The words employment and business can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

In what contexts can métier take the place of business?

Although the words métier and business have much in common, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

When might occupation be a better fit than business?

The words occupation and business are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When can pursuit be used instead of business?

While the synonyms pursuit and business are close in meaning, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

Where would work be a reasonable alternative to business?

The meanings of work and business largely overlap; however, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of business As Remo Gerra, manager of Veneto Trattoria, recalled, Kirk would dine at the restaurant a few times a month, usually with Erika Kirk and their kids, or with some of his business associates. Shawn Raymundo, AZCentral.com, 20 Sep. 2025 Sportico has detailed similar lawsuits brought by the NBA and other pro leagues against foreign individuals and businesses that sell counterfeit goods. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Sep. 2025 The director, who moved from Bengaluru to Australia in 2007 and built a career in international business before studying at Victorian College of Arts, drew from deeply personal experiences for the story. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025 Guests are encouraged to tap the Butler to plan exclusive experiences at businesses around town. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for business
Recent Examples of Synonyms for business
Noun
  • Thailand has long been hostage to antiquated patronage politics, with cash handouts and other inducements distributed via influential local families, known as baan yai, commonplace to foster support.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Husseini attempted to ply him with patronage, appointing him imam of a new mosque, but the cleric’s burgeoning following augured poorly for Husseini’s grip on power.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Wolters Kluwer is a professional information, software and services firm.
    Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • OpenAI's first Stargate development to come online — a data center in Texas that's stuffed to the brims with Oracle and Nvidia infrastructure — did so just as investors started questioning the sustainability of the artificial intelligence firm's trajectory.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Griffin released his first opinion on the matter Wednesday stating Rawn's statement reflected sanctuary policy.
    NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Regaining the base became a topic of bilateral discussion around that time, according to a report from CNN citing sources familiar with the matter.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Contributing factors include the rising popularity of specific segments (such as sportswear and comfortable clothing), changing consumer habits, social media influence, increasing disposable incomes, and the growth of online commerce.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
  • In 2024, the re-commerce platform reclaimed or extended approximately 21,000 units of clothing and resold 8,000 units, serving around 5,000 consumers.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution.
    Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The label is used in terms of law enforcement for investigative purposes and probing terrorist threats.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Israel Defense Forces is continuing its operation to take control of Gaza City, the largest urban area in the Gaza Strip, despite international outcry over the deteriorated humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Momentum firmly with the hosts, Iwobi levelled things up after some pinball in the Brentford area.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Kimmel then claimed talk show hosts from around the world also offered their support, including one instance in which a talk show host from Germany apparently offered him a job.
    Christopher Tremoglie, The Washington Examiner, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The tournament will provide a major boost in tourism for the host cities, from a soar in hotel and restaurant bookings and transportation fees, alongside opening up additional jobs.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When does compromise become treachery or defeat?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?
    Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Business.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/business. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.

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