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

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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 Although the current version is priced around $150,000 and targeted mainly at businesses, XPENG plans to develop more accessible versions for everyday consumers. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025 In 2018, King opened her own business, Sunshine Salon. J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2025 Nikki Venus, a business style coach, shared my sentiment about too much mixing and matching. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 25 Apr. 2025 Tourism destinations hit by natural disasters need visitors in order for local people and businesses to survive. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for business
Recent Examples of Synonyms for business
Noun
  • Its prime beneficiaries, of course, have been members of his entourage and their patronage networks.
    ALEXANDER GABUEV, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The program is co-funded by Creative Europe MEDIA and organized under the patronage of Eurimages, with Wake Up Films (Serbia) serving as the organizing entity.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The equity research firm conducted a sample on 50 products and found Amazon prices had risen 4.2% higher on April 25.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • Last month, Endeavor went private with private-equity firm Silver Lake in a $25 billion deal.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Why does financial literacy matter to Central Florida?
    Jay Reddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Your homeowners’ association cannot just deny your requests and expect that to be the end of the matter.
    Jill Terreri Ramos, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The plan empowers Lt. Gov. David Toland, as commerce secretary, to negotiate deals directly with the Chiefs and Royals.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025
  • In many parts of the world, the radical belief in popular sovereignty undid the hold of the notion of the divine right of kings, just as expanding commerce created a wealthy merchant class eager for greater political say.
    Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And then there's still a question after that, of meaning and purpose.
    Billy Perrigo, Time, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The floor plan also accommodates a living room area with space for a couch, coffee table, floor lamp, and more.
    Toni Sutton, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Waterbury Police Department responded to the area of Albion Street just after 6:30 p.m. and found the victim who had sustained gunshot wounds.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Wearing his trusty tape measure around his neck, Mancinelli said he had not yet been formally commissioned by the Vatican but was busy preparing for the prestige job, working on his sewing machine as well as hand stitching robes.
    Chiara Rodriquez, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • Austin has the inside track to win the starting job in the slot, but Wilson will look to challenge him after missing virtually his entire rookie year with injuries.
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Sinners is one of the great vampire movies of the modern age, mining the legend of these perpetual outsiders who desperately yearn to belong, but whose silky promises are rooted in treachery.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
  • But the most intriguing finish—and the most on-brand level of treachery from Heyman—would be Paul stabbing both Roman and Punk in the back for Rollins.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Business.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/business. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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