Definition of provincenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word province distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of province are duty, function, and office. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," 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

Where would duty be a reasonable alternative to province?

The words duty and province are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 function a more appropriate choice than province?

The meanings of function and province largely overlap; however, 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 can office be used instead of province?

The synonyms office and province are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 province This includes more than 1,200 camps erected by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang province as part of an expansive policy of discrimination against the Uyghur population there. Alex Braithwaite, The Conversation, 1 May 2026 Dimitsana and Arcadian mountain trails The heartland of the Peloponnese is Arcadia, a mountainous province of gorges and hills, many precariously topped by medieval towns. Helen Brown, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026 Mura’s parents, Raul Mura and Monica Hernandez, who were both physicians, packed up the family and moved 680 miles north to La Plata, the capital city of the Buenos Aires province. Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 Cut from a legendarily large stone found in South Africa in 1905, the stone was presented to the British royal family by the leaders of the Transvaal province. Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • Because Pe’Sla was not included as an affected area and no environmental review was conducted, the approval violates the National Historic Preservation Act and National Environmental Policy Act, the lawsuit alleges.
    Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
  • The Mets won the series-opener 4-2, using that big sixth inning, two openers in front of David Peterson, and four innings from the lefty who calls the Denver area home.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
Noun
  • In Florida, though, those disparities result in differences in who went without a dental visit, a flu shot, a colon cancer screening and who ended up in an avoidable emergency department visit.
    Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Richardson said that since resigning as Oregon State’s GM last fall, Bjornstad has remained unemployed, biding his time developing an app for college athletic departments.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Baldoni denied doing anything outside the realm of the normal creative process of making a movie.
    Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
  • His study of the dynamics of discourse took Habermas beyond the realm of political philosophy.
    Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • The exercise builds skills around joint all-domain operations, crisis responses and multinational interoperability, enhances regional security and supports AFRICOM's strategic objectives, the website states.
    Kate Perez, USA Today, 4 May 2026
  • This is exactly the kind of domain where the Board of Supervisors should consolidate its authority rather than fragment it.
    Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • Step-backs, deep 3s, power drives, trips to the line – every element of their games was on display, and every possession seemed to raise the stakes.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Each element contributes to an experience that extends beyond the immediate act of dining.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Last month, Taiwan said China had forced three Indian Ocean countries to pull overflight permission for Lai's aircraft to travel to the ⁠small southern African kingdom of Eswatini for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's ​accession.
    Reuters, NBC news, 3 May 2026
  • Yura’s nemeses, who are part of her elderly father’s underwater court, seem to be after her magical flute, an ancient device that controls their kingdom’s dragon.
    Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • With a pour of salsa roja, tart and hot (but not overly so), or a more judicious application of the punishingly spicy salsa verde, the bean and cheese transforms into a kinetic flavor field of curves and spikes.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
  • Beran dumped a double onto the foul line in left field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Geneva (19-3, 8-2) the lead for good.
    Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • No matter what sport or walk of life, taking a step back can be jarring, but Vahmistrovs took it the opposite way.
    Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
  • The Giardini di Augusto, Certosa di San Giacomo (the 14th-century charterhouse that now contains the archeological museum), and the Belvedere Tragara, which offers fantastic views of the Faraglioni, are all within a 15-minute walk of the hotel.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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