Definition of officenext

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 California voters have up to three chances to fix a mistake on their ballot, including by exchanging it at the county elections office or indicating the correction directly on the original ballot without initialing it. — Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Another has its own dressing area, with the primary offering an office nook, walk-in closet, and maximalist bath embellished with stars, peacock feathers, and bold graphic prints. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026 Lumina was formed two years ago with offices on both sides of the Atlantic and in the Middle East, and a business model that has verticals in talent and IP, innovation, creators economy and youth sports. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026 Eighty-five percent of family offices rank artificial intelligence as their top investment theme, despite 75% expecting an AI bubble to burst within the next five years, according to a new survey. — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
Noun
  • The produce department features tropical fruits such as jackfruit, dragon fruit, mangoes, sweet tamarind and durian, alongside a large selection of Asian vegetables and a wide variety of mushrooms that can compete with any local farmer’s market.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, a member of the education department treats his organization and financing with suspicion, despite having already left him to his own devices.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Donald is taking on a support role with BBC Studios alongside his day-to-day duties running his Cosmopolitan Pictures indie.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • At a news conference, Ali Daamoush accused the Lebanese state of failing to carry out its duties to help the displaced.
    — Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Ronen Bar, former head of the agency commonly known as Shin Bet, demanded $965,000 in the suit filed Wednesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Darrell Alexander, who runs composer agency Cool Music, sees working as an additional composer as the best entry point for anyone starting out.
    — Ben Croll, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • No perpetrators have been publicly identified, and no claims of responsibility have been made public.
    — JOHN LEICESTER, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The carrier is expected to hold NATO command ship responsibilities until mid-2027, positioning it to lead a multinational naval force if activated during an international crisis.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • On Monday, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador celebrated that announcement, which followed a victory in a lawsuit Idaho and 14 other states filed against the bureau.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The city’s public works team and its Parks, Recreation and Marine bureau were working to secure it, putting up sandbags and rebuilding the berm to stop water intrusion.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Organizers have legitimate obligations and limited resources.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • True, Dua Lipa has mostly lived in places where the de facto street food is a kebab, but work obligations put her in the land of hot dogs plenty.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Wang, Sumaya added, took photos of every page of a notebook the victim left on his desk.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Some interpreted the announcement as a signal that Jordan would become a regular presence on the studio desk.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The film explores the contradictions of a Bulgarian town pulled into Europe’s shifting geopolitical order, where arms production for Ukraine’s frontlines collides with enduring ties to Russia, personal convictions, and the everyday need to survive.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The company recently introduced four-finger hands for Atlas, underscoring the need to design robotic hardware around practical requirements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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