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 Several limestone stelas discovered in Tell Al-Abqain, in Egypt's northern Beheira province, including one depicting a prisoner with his body bent in a posture of submission with his hands bound (at right). Ahmed Shawkat, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 Construction of the Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant in Jiangsu province began in January 2026. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026 Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Sunday the investigations, coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin and Mersin, involved 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026 Canada might cease to be a viable country, especially if other provinces started to question the union. Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • The rain could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in mountainous areas.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The encouraging part for Liverpool is that Brughmans already has the physical tools to improve in this area, most notably a pair of enormous hands.
    Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • At one point in the third quarter of South Carolina’s shutout win, athletic director Jeremiah Donati and other athletic department staffers were handing out free water bottles to fans.
    Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • States are passing laws requiring their education departments to create such guidance; Maryland, Idaho, Oklahoma and Virginia all added new laws this year, reported K-12 Dive.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Consider Einstein's iconic theory of gravity, general relativity, and the elusive realm of quantum mechanics.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Garmin Vivoactive 5 Deal Oh, Garmin—a royal name in the fitness and health tracking realm.
    Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The real tragedy of the film occurs not in the domain of love, but of family.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026
  • So fall travel has historically been the domain of empty-nesters, young couples without dependents, parents bringing along adult children (or vice versa), friend groups, and solo adventurers.
    Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The third-year wide receiver brings such a different element to the New York offense.
    Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Both pairs were wise choices for the colder Telluride weather, keeping both parties’ feet warm and dry, protected from the elements.
    Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In the days since, a flood of deals have been announced to bring Chinese robotaxis, laptops, AI models, and data centers to the kingdom — while putting the competition for tech dominance between China and the US into stark relief.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The king arbitrarily gives up his power and divides his kingdom among his children.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Of course, one of the best parts of writing a road trip novel is the field research—which for me, involved driving Route 66 over three weeks in October 2021 with my British partner and 1-year-old in tow.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Andy Reid has built an unprecedented resume on the field as the only coach with 100 NFL coaching wins for two different franchises.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In dressage competitions, horses follow a short sequence of bouncing walks and trots, pirouettes and figures-of-eight.
    Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • De Paula drew a walk and hit a double to reach base in every plate appearance.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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