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 Huajiang Canyon Bridge, suspension bridge in Guizhou province, southwestern China, spanning the Beipan River canyon along the S57 Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway. Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026 Their destination was Shaanxi province, which might as well have been on another planet. Michael Sheridan, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2026 Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin along with Amazon, is one of a number of business entrepreneurs pursuing ventures in space, once the exclusive province of governments. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026 As rain poured on the northern provinces of Iran in late March, a somber crowd snaked through the mountain ranges of Asara carrying the coffin of Mohammad Reza Kia. Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • Hooker also shared his account of what happened with several friends and even annotated maps of the area.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The legal grey area has apparently even made Frontex, the EU border control agency, uncomfortable.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The police department has forwarded an affidavit in support of his arrest to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, which will consider whether to file charges against him.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The department is scrutinizing all contracts signed under his predecessor, Kristi Noem.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Mortal Kombat 2 will focus on the Mortal Kombat tournament, the big battle in which warriors from different realms face off against one another in a fight to the bloody finish.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
  • If her gait, as such, is being foisted on the audience for its box office appeal, permit me to suggest a reconsideration toward something more within the realm of natural.
    Joshua John Miller, Vanity Fair, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Science and art are often held up as opposites — the logical and analytical versus the creative and emotional, the domain of the left brain hemisphere versus the right, the yang versus the yin.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Backed by deep domain expertise in acoustic engineering and manufacturing excellence, Ultra Maritime continues to lead the evolution of sonobuoy technology, according to the company.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Options lean fruit-forward, herbal and slightly savory, with ingredients like citrus, fresh herbs and briny elements showing up across the list.
    Evan Moore April 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
  • While that event will be ticketed, organizers said all other activation elements within the district will remain free and open to the public.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This small Buddhist kingdom in the eastern Himalayas between China and India is experiencing growth in tourism after opening to international visitors only 50 years ago.
    Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Meanwhile, separate attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Manifa and Khurais oil fields have cut the kingdom’s production by roughly 600,000 barrels per day, the Saudi Press Agency said.
    Lee Ying Shan,Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • McIlroy followed his first-round 67 with a second-round 65 on Friday and stands 12-under 132 — six shots clear of the field.
    Stan Awtrey, AJC.com, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Carson Benge bobbled a ball in left field, turning a leadoff single into a double for Jacob Wilson, and former Mets utilityman Jeff McNeil sent him home with a single.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Evan Carter and Corey Seager drew one-out walks from Luis Severino (0-2) in the first inning and Burger followed with his third home run for a 3-0 lead.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The 29-year-old infielder went 2-for-5 with an RBI, a walk and two runs scored while playing all 10 innings at second base in a 19-12 loss to visiting Albuquerque.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 14 Apr. 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