Synonym Chooser

How is the word province distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of province are duty, function, and office. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire — Anne Brontë

Where would duty be a reasonable alternative to province?

The words duty and province are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case — R. B. Taney

When is function a more appropriate choice than province?

The meanings of function and province largely overlap; however, function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information — Aldous Huxley

When can office be used instead of province?

The synonyms office and province are sometimes interchangeable, but office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor — W. E. Gladstone

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 province Following the unsuccessful referenda on separation in Quebec, the federal government enacted the Clarity Act in 2000 on how to approach future referenda on provinces seeking independence from the country. Chad De Guzman, Time, 6 May 2025 It was produced with support from Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund, provinces of Nova Scotia and Ontario, Screen Nova Scotia, Crave, and CBC. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 May 2025 Valverde played for them from 1990-1996 but was born in the western province of Extremadura. Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 First time candidate Jessica Fancy-Landry is running as a Liberal in a small district in the maritime province of Nova Scotia. Jackie Northam, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • On May 8, a hunter discovered human remains on Cedar Mountain, and after alerting authorities about the finding, law enforcement responded to the area and retrieved them, the Kane County Sheriff's Office reported this week.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • The whale had, at most, 180 retinal ganglion cells per square millimeter; humans, meanwhile, have up to about 40,000 in the same area.
    Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • The city of New Orleans and its police department urged residents and visitors to stay vigilant during the manhunt and report any suspicious activity, WDSU reported.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 19 May 2025
  • Then, there was no mass exodus, department veterans say.
    Ryan Lucas, NPR, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Until recently, China's entries in the realm of spaceflight patches often lacked the originality found in patches from the West.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2025
  • Still, the show’s tone offers audiences something atypical in the realm of sci-fi action.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • As described, Golden Dome would use the sensors in a layered approach in which they are installed on a variety of platforms in multiple domains, including ground, sea, air and space.
    Iain Boyd, The Conversation, 22 May 2025
  • In the 10,000 sample records there were 220 email addresses with .gov domains.
    Matt Burgess, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The common element is that a single federal judge in one of 94 regional districts paused a policy for the entire country while the case is being litigated.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, a personal tragedy shakes Colin into consciousness, the only element that manages to pierce Ray’s exterior long enough to let his sub in.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Goldman Sachs in mid-April warned that Brent crude at $62 a barrel — its price forecast at the time — could more than double the kingdom’s 2024 budget deficit of $30.8 billion.
    Natasha Turak, CNBC, 11 May 2025
  • Having covered Alta Moda shows since 2012, Lever is both witness and visual chronicler of the most exciting haute couture weekend in the fashion kingdom.
    Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Ryan Blaney slides back through the field, all the way into 15th place.
    Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2025
  • In any field, whether that be policy, education, or business, Susan’s approach can yield great benefits, simply by broadening our perspectives and encouraging adaptability.
    Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Xander Bogaerts began the bottom of the fifth with a walk and went to third when right fielder Jo Adell bobbled, ever-so-slightly, a single by Jake Cronenworth.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
  • Crim went hitless in 11 at-bats with a walk and a run scored.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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