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 Teen use of cannabis rose 26% in Canadian provinces that legalized the sale of edibles and extracts in October 2019, according to the study, which published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025 Thursday’s strike hit the port of Ras Isa, also in Hodeida province, killing 74 people and wounding 171 others, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025 Cargo ships and containers at Qingdao port in eastern China’s Shandong province on Dec. 4, 2024. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, the virus has been detected in sewage samples around the country this year, including in Punjab province, home to around half of Pakistan's children. Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • The Waterbury Police Department responded to the area of Albion Street just after 6:30 p.m. and found the victim who had sustained gunshot wounds.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Jones Road Wildfire was first spotted at approximately 9:45 a.m. on April 22 in the Greenwood Wildlife Management area in Waretown, New Jersey, officials said.
    Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The College For Creative Studies Fashion Design Program is recognized as the largest and most equipped fashion accessory design department in the United States.
    Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • An email sent in March from a former employee in the finance department to top management which was reviewed by The Times said MBN had $8 million in its accounts, including $4.7 million that could have been used to cover unused annual leave and partial severance.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • In the indie film realm, sales agents are choosing to view Trump’s declarations as another tantrum.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 May 2025
  • The trend has been negative: As views on Trump have gotten more negative and coverage of specific cases has increased and gotten more negative, views and judgments of Trump’s policy in this realm have also dropped.
    Christian Paz, Vox, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • With this in mind, the startup costs listed below automatically assume that your website and domain are included.
    Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Into the last decades of the twentieth century, the laws of war were almost exclusively the domain of military lawyers and humanitarians at the Red Cross.
    Colin Jones, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Artificial intelligence was a major factor in the actors strike of 2023 and the burgeoning technology will remain a key element in next year’s negotiations.
    Peter White, Deadline, 5 May 2025
  • Morality is not a useful element in foreign policy decision making.
    Frank Lavin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • May is the time to invest wisely, delegate responsibly, and set the foundations of your kingdom.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
  • The oil-rich kingdom has significantly increased defense spending since 2015, largely driven by its military involvement in Yemen against the Houthi rebels, alongside investments in modernization and advanced weaponry, including recent arms deals with the U.S. to bolster its capabilities.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Both teams’ trainers joined EMS to get him onto a cart and off the field.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 May 2025
  • Related article Fan in critical condition after accidental fall onto the field at PNC Park during Pirates-Cubs game, police say The 20-year-old Markwood, fell from the right field wall onto the field and was listed in critical condition.
    Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • After our first walk through the art alleys, my friends abandoned me for warmer pastures.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2025
  • Lindor and Soto drew back-to-back walks, and Arizona turned to side-winding right-hander Ryan Thompson, who plunked Alonso to load the bases with no outs.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/province. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on province

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