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 Monday’s vote was the first plebiscite of its kind in Canada since the 1995 Quebec referendum, where the predominantly French-speaking province voted against secession by a razor thin margin. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026 Sistan and Baluchistan is the second largest of the 31 Iranian provinces. — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 The ministry said both patients were men in their 20s living in the Wapinda health zone, which borders Bas-Uele province, where Ebola cases have been reported previously. — Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 The province contributes to Canada's equalization system, which provides federal funding to provinces with lower fiscal capacity. — Sheena Rossiter, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • The election process was marred by allegations of voter suppression, with Lula's campaign reporting suspended public transportation in some key areas, prompting the court to extend voting by two hours.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Fixing the problem Flexible substrates have uneven surface roughness and varying hydroxyl-group densities, making standard large-area printing techniques ineffective.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • To accommodate those patients who’ve been admitted but don’t have a room, the hospital has installed dozens of beds in what was once the emergency department’s waiting room and in adjacent spaces.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The local police department is conducting a criminal investigation into the events leading up to the collision and the actions of those involved, Kinnan said Wednesday.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The first in the ACOTAR series, the romantasy novel introduces us to Feyre Archeron, a human woman who agrees to go live in the fairie realm of Prythian in order to save her family.
    — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Put another way, in bringing the footage into the realm of film, and not reality television—his domain—Fielder breached some ethical standard.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The highly specific domain expertise many programs sell is exactly what machines can now replicate at scale.
    — Matt vandenBerg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Balancing expansion with sustainability Space was once the sole domain of nation states, but this is no longer the case.
    — David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Yet none of those visual elements establishes who actually sent the email.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • By redesigning the work product—an important element of the daily routines—work became more enjoyable for the employees.
    — Deborah Lovich, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The result could spur a global scramble to pump more oil as quickly as possible, leaving the kingdom fighting to win back market share when the conflict ends amid a glut and lower prices.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Undoubtedly, the biggest blow was the announcement that the kingdom is postponing its flagship investment conference, the Future Investment Initiative, until next year, although no exact date has been set.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Forget the impish house DJ that ran with Stockholm’s left-field Studio Barnhus label.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The last includes those black-swan events that come out of left field and test a company’s resilience, from war to pandemics.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Ceiling tile missing above walk in cooler in back receiving area.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • He was used Saturday to pitch two-thirds of an inning and allowed just one walk in a scoreless appearance.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on province

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