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 El Fasher in western Darfur, and Kadugli in South Kordofan province, are now officially suffering from famine, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed on Monday. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 3 Nov. 2025 The other locations were in parts of South and West Kordofan provinces that have since also fallen into RSF hands. NPR, 3 Nov. 2025 In Palma Soriano, a town in Santiago de Cuba province directly hit by the hurricane, many lost their homes, Adriano Valagussa, a Catholic priest at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, told the Miami Herald. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025 The ad campaign in question was rolled out earlier this month by the Canadian province of Ontario. Alex Ederson, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • Tabor and Sheriff Jay Cantrell both said the new quarantine space, along with other spaces being added for medical care, the intake and release of detainees, and court proceedings may allow the sheriff's office to open some areas to new programming.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Local and state officials criticized the immigration operation in the area Friday.
    Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • On Friday, two federal judges ordered SNAP benefits to be paid from the department's contingency fund, but confusion continued over the issue Tuesday.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Ausberry said at a press conference last week that LSU and its athletic department are not broken.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • At Sportico’s Invest in Sports conference, industry leaders discussed how their businesses have entered new territories, built new lines of business, embraced fresh investment strategies and even considered entering into the realm of the absurd.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • This quiz will test your knowledge of the strange, shadowy realm of dark matter.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Cue, a wind-appropriate domain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Downloads hosted on unfamiliar domains or file-sharing sites should be treated as unsafe.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The neutral tones and organic elements of the hotel’s 349 rooms and suites soothe the spirit and mirror the otherworldly atmosphere of the Riviera Maya.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Depending on which elements are involved, airglow can appear in subtle shades of green, red or orange.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The history of premodern Southeast Asia, where small kingdoms competed and traded without coming under the dominion of China or India, suggests a different model.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Saudi Aramco reported a surprise increase in profits and boosted its forecasts for gas production as the kingdom embarked on a policy of lifting crude output to grab market share.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • His middle name is a homage to the Atlanta Braves’ former field where Freddie played for the majority of his career.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The next time Hamilton had the ball, Sculley hit Oliver crossing the middle of the field for a 90-yard touchdown.
    Richard Obert, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The major muscles worked during monster walks are the glutes, hip abductors, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
    Jakob Roze, Health, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Chop Robinson was escorted off the Hard Rock Stadium field midway through the second quarter with a towel draping his head the entire 60-yard walk.
    Omar Kelly Updated October 31, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

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