office

Synonym Chooser

How is the word office distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of office are duty, function, and province. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," 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

In what contexts can duty take the place of office?

While the synonyms duty and office are close in meaning, 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 it sensible to use function instead of office?

While in some cases nearly identical to office, 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 could province be used to replace office?

The meanings of province and office largely overlap; however, 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

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 office The sequel was trending high on tracking ahead of the opening, but was a massive disappointment at the box office, grossing only $39 million worldwide. Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025 Vaccinations are covered by most health insurance companies, and kids can usually get them at no cost through the Vaccines for Children (VCF) Program at their doctor’s office, pharmacies and health clinics that are enrolled in the program. Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025 This is the second raid carried out at the hotel in this case, the prosecutor’s office said, with the first on March 28. Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 As press secretary, Jean-Pierre repeatedly denied reports regarding Biden’s mental fitness during his time in office. Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
Noun
  • The sound department actually played the music that would overlay the scene as Dockery acted.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This program comes at a critical time for the automotive industry, as employers increasingly need to develop worker skills and standardize AI usage across departments.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • By the end of the trial in September 2023, Paxton was acquitted and resumed his duties as attorney general.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The foundation's mission is deeply personal for Siller, stemming from the sacrifice of his brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel on 9/11 to answer the call of duty.
    Paid Content by Tunnel to Towers, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Nor does the executive order bar any federal agency from continuing to offer its services, websites, and materials in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, or hundreds of other languages spoken across the country.
    Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The partial closure order was coordinated with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, along with multiple local, state, and federal agency cooperators, to identify the minimum area necessary for the safety of firefighting resources and forest visitors.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Accountability requires taking personal responsibility for your cognitive development.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This shift represents a fundamental change in how professional development happens, with corporations taking direct responsibility for credentialing workers in emerging technologies.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But some are concerned the street crime focus could draw attention from the sophisticated public corruption and national security threats for which the bureau has long been primarily, if not solely, responsible for investigating.
    Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Hamas, the report said, even controls hiring at the network’s Gaza bureau.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Similar American drone sales to the UAE and Qatar will likely proceed once Washington reinterprets its obligations under that 1987 treaty, and will probably exceed the number China has sold to the region to date.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Live records could also be a way of fulfilling a contractual obligation (too many examples to cite) or a way to mollify fans who were going to have to wait a while for another studio record (Fleetwood Mac’s 1980’s concert record, which bridged the gap between Tusk and Mirage).
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But for Warren Buffett, whose investing horizon stretches far beyond the trading desks of Wall Street, the question of interest rates plays a different role entirely.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Near the check-in desk, old photographs of the place line the hallway.
    Degen Pener, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Global South's innovation ecosystem shows us that technology can emerge from and serve local needs.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Given City’s soft centre has come from a failure to cope with counter-attacks and a lack of pace to defend in a high line, Khusanov may just be the blunt force antidote Guardiola needs.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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