OFFICE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

office

noun

ˈä-fəs

Definition of office next

as in department

a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the company's main office is in Atlanta

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in duty

something one must do because of prior agreement one of the chief offices of a friend is to be there in someone's hour of need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples of office in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Finally, the lower level contains two bedrooms, one of which has a fireplace and a Murphy bed (it’s currently used as an office), a shared bathroom, and a laundry area. —

Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2024 Doug vehemently denied the allegations and the sheriff's office seemed to agree. —

Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2024 But Cermak, having harnessed patronage and an ethnic coalition to seize the mayor’s office, laid the groundwork for the team of Ald. —

Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2024 Or should the office go back to giving staid advice on how to curb the nation’s rates of chronic illness? —

Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for office

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'office.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.