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 The Associated Press reported that dozens of other church leaders in Bejing and at least five other provinces across China were arrested Friday as well. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025 Allegations linking Jose Luis Espert, head of the ruling Liberty Advances ticket in Buenos Aires province, to a corruption scandal look likely to damage Milei’s party’s standing. Ian Bremmer, Time, 10 Oct. 2025 The Prada Sea Beyond initiative has also vowed to continue to support the promotion of ocean literacy in China with the Marine Science Cultural Kit, a tool that will be distributed to schools in the inland Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, reaching around 800 children ages 8 to 12. Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 Authorities urged people in the Davao Oriental, Surigao Del Sur and Surigao Del Norte provinces to evacuate to higher ground or move inland. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • No injuries were reported from the incident, which took place in an area where the highway patrol had stopped traffic during the live fire exercise at Camp Pendleton, the agency said in a statement Sunday.
    Susannah Cullinane, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The release noted terrain in the area can be rugged and steep and cautioned visitors to stay a safe distance from the edge.
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Her department looks after 20 host families.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Most people may be able to access flu vaccines at their local pharmacy, doctors office or even through certain public health departments.
    Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The logistics are the realm of Gary Douglas, the academy’s head of operations.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The cycle marches on, unaware of, though not untouched by, the joys and the tragedies of the human realm.
    Grace Edquist, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • For dramatic effect, each shrub should be given a separate domain in the garden.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The popularity of indoor climbing has helped to make the sport more accessible to a broader swath of the American population, injecting new diversity into an activity that had long been the domain of young white men.
    Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The structure is covered with flat planes of shades of white and gray, while the occasional architectural elements painted in a primary color stand out noticeably.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 15 Oct. 2025
  • And Kate Middleton’s outfit during a surprise visit to Northern Ireland includes all of those elements and more.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The plants in the kingdom were designed to convert crude oil directly into chemical products.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom — drawing in the ruthless kings of other Scandinavian countries and even a powerful English ruler — the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic and utterly magical new Norse saga.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Gators raced out to a 13-7 lead against the Bulldogs after two quarters, but fans were not pacified by the product on the field.
    Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Galen DiDomizio, who works in the medical field, brought his 2-year-old daughter to the protest, carrying her on his back.
    Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Vesia had replaced Glasnow after a two-out walk in the top of the sixth pushed the starter’s pitch count to 99.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Angel Reese made quite the impression during her first walk as a Victoria's Secret Angel, proving that her runway coach seriously paid off.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on province

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