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 Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (847) 549-5200. Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 He was driven to his doctor’s office, where his blood was drawn. Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025 The letter was provided to NPR by Padilla's office. Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025 Emmon Woods, 20, was killed, according to the county prosecutor's office. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
Noun
  • By July, the department walked back its need for a large-scale reduction in force.
    Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Renaming the department would likely require an act of Congress.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Camilla wasn't the only royal who had official duties on Thursday.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Detailed occupations in the SOC with similar job duties, skills, education or training are grouped together.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • How do these different agencies work together?
    Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.
    Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The responsibility of creating executive departments also rests with Congress.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • It is based solely on my responsibility to protect the people of my state and to advocate for the public health of the entire country.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That has included Biden-era rule-making, including provisions related to overdraft fees—one of the bureau’s landmark reforms of the past few years.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The House Oversight Committee had been seeking his testimony into the bureau’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, but that request has now been withdrawn.
    Zach LaChance, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Might the thrill of their ambition congeal into something like obligation?
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • From their standpoint, divorce represents a breakdown not only of a personal relationship but of a social or even moral obligation.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The logistics were daunting, but carefully calibrated— Angel explained that even wording introductions to attendees at the reception desk were discussed, to make clear that the cookout was centered on trans femmes and donations were encouraged.
    Essence, Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Watling met co-author Yu Xu while working as an editor for Zootaxa, the scientific journal where his work is now published, when Xu’s work crossed his desk.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There are no hard and fast rules regarding the frequency of sweeping, as the floor care needs of each home depend on several different factors.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
  • European officials, by contrast, have consistently emphasized the need to ratchet up sanctions pressure.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on office

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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