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 Phillips was questioned and has since been charged with felony destruction of a body/concealment of a death, and felony altering/destroying criminal evidence, the sheriff’s office said. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026 Outside Sacai’s spring 2027 show, Bryant teamed an office siren ensemble with a minimal, no-makeup makeup face. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 The country’s deputy Ombudsman, Paula Aponte, said in a statement that her office has sought further information from other state agencies on the Colombian nationals believed to have died in the attacks, but with little success. — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 But Paul Kimball was back in California’s legislative office building Wednesday hoping 2027 will be the year it is finally signed into law. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
Noun
  • For example, in 2023, commercial insurers paid more than $2,500 on average for colonoscopies performed in a hospital outpatient department in Massachusetts, according to state data.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Cosmic Talents, which represents leading international heads of department, is opening a London office.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Chief Split How will Ellison and Kreiz handle individual duties?
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Troops with mild traumatic brain injuries and hit by shrapnel often returned to duty quickly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • State agencies, including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, have helped local officials with damage assessments and power restoration, among other tasks.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But Khan has also invested in bringing in a much broader array of companies and government agencies, so tenants from outside financial services now account for almost half of his office space.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • At Marriott, 85% of employees say people are given significant responsibility, compared with 64% at a typical European workplace.
    — Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Women’s mental well-being can be at risk due to a variety of factors, including unequal domestic responsibilities and physiological changes during the postpartum period, perimenopause and menopause.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And Jeanna Smialek, our Brussels bureau chief, obtained a copy of the draft statement being prepared ahead of a summit in Montreal at the end of this month between the European Union and Canada.
    — Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Director Kash Patel says the report aims to promote accountability and rebuild public trust; critics say his investigations and firings have politicized the bureau and further undermined confidence.
    — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Saada has threatened before to reduce the group’s investment during tense negotiations over windowing rules and Canal+ was granted an earlier access to movies after their theatrical run in exchange for its substantial investment obligations.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Any business that outsources development, operations or customer support to third parties should also assume that obligation follows the data, not the org chart.
    — Abhik Biswas, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There are little extras like canapés and snacks every evening in the lobby bar and complimentary Champagne at the reception desk.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • To offer that vision, the designers skipped bookshelves and built an octagonal conversation pit with a circular skylight above the desk, echoing a skylight over the real house’s unseen indoor pool.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The technology could also reduce the need to closely match battery cells during manufacturing, since the pack would be better able to accommodate differences in cell performance.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Mercury in your 7th House quincunxes Saturn in your private 12th, making relationships, conversations, and unspoken needs harder to read at first.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster