office

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 The first movie collected $67 million at the box office, and the second film was even bigger, surpassing $310 million globally. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 If convicted, Patel could face up to four years in prison, Tanya Faherty, a victim advocate for the prosecutor’s office, said in a news release Friday. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2026 The sheriff’s office and Fort Lauderdale police are searching for the driver. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026 That could mean establishing a clinical placement office on par with other functions like development and alumni relations. Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
Noun
  • The officer with the York City Police Department was placed on administrative leave after the shooting on Tuesday, the department said in a news release on Wednesday.
    Michael Guise, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • Dissolving the department entirely requires an act of Congress.
    Alia Wong, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • With a V-neck and button-up front, this top transitions easily from the office to off-duty plans.
    Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
  • Royals manager Matt Quatraro pulled double-duty Thursday.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Under California law, police agencies are generally required to release to the public audio and video recordings of police shootings and other critical incidents involving great bodily injury within 45 days of the incident.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
  • The Cubs were in first place After consecutive 83-win seasons, the Cubs pushed their chips into the middle of the table, swinging a trade for Kyle Tucker, signing Matthew Boyd and Carson Kelly in free agency and opening up a lane for then-top prospect Matt Shaw to break camp with the club.
    Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Of course, somewhere so exposed to nature has a responsibility to maintain the beauty of the area.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026
  • Most significantly, Lee wants voters to grant the mayor’s office a veto over Oakland City Council decisions and absorb many day-to-day responsibilities of running the city.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • But the bureau has applied privacy protection methods involving noise to the detailed demographic data that's used for redrawing maps of individual voting districts.
    Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 12 June 2026
  • Shayndi Rice was named to that role following the exit of Claire Day, a 23-year veteran of CBS News, who had served as London bureau chief for nearly a year before her departure was announced in April.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Some reports describe a strategy devised by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in which every American obligation is to be matched by an Iranian step, each taken only after Washington has verifiably met its own commitments.
    Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 19 June 2026
  • From there, aspiring digital nomads should research countries offering remote-work visas, understand tax obligations, develop a realistic travel budget and assemble a technology setup that supports uninterrupted productivity.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Veteran New York news anchor Bill Ritter revealed Friday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, bringing an end to his more than two-decade run behind the WABC-TV anchor desk.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
  • The president displayed a UFC championship belt at his desk in the Oval Office recently as fighters stood behind him to hype the event.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The fee adjustment captured the attention of many farmers about the underlying need for reform.
    Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026
  • The European Commission added that the latest developments underline Europe’s need for technological sovereignty.
    Maggie Eastland, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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