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 Across China, tens of thousands of people tagged as troublemakers like the Yangs are trapped in a digital cage, barred from leaving their province and sometimes even their homes by the world’s largest digital surveillance apparatus. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025 The provincial assembly for the Gandaki province in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city, was set on fire, as well as the Siraha District Court in southeast Nepal, and at least a dozen government buildings across the Rupandehi province and the Gautam Buddha International Airport in the area. Callum Sutherland, Time, 9 Sep. 2025 Just two days before filming began in the northwest regional province of Santiago Rodriguez, a powerful storm swept through the Dominican Republic, flooding the ground floor of the production office and bringing much of Santo Domingo to a halt. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025 Milei's La Libertad Avanza party won 34 percent of the vote in Argentina's biggest province, losing by a wide margin to the left-leaning Peronist opposition, which ended up with 47 percent, according to a count of most of the ballots on Sunday. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
Noun
  • Other Notable Winners NBC’s Saturday Night Live earned recognition beyond its anniversary special, taking home three technical awards in areas like set design, lighting, and sound.
    Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The plaintiffs argued the displacement was motivated by a desire to limit readers' access to books with viewpoints that are unpopular and controversial in the area.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The sound department actually played the music that would overlay the scene as Dockery acted.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This program comes at a critical time for the automotive industry, as employers increasingly need to develop worker skills and standardize AI usage across departments.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The centuries-old religion blends both Protestant and Catholic beliefs and is often seen as one of the more inclusive denominations in the realm of Christianity.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Roseman, whose first full-time NFL job was in the financial realm as counsel to the Eagles’ salary-cap staff, has compared Philadelphia’s tactics to financing a home when interest rates are low.
    Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The novel is now in the public domain and several other paperback editions are available.
    Paul Slovak September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Deloitte data points to a 20% increase in AI workloads across all computing domains, with edge workloads projected to rise nearly 80%.
    Marco Chiappetta, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The high-energy track, which blends old school hip-hop vibes with rock elements, marks the first time a virtual group has ever produced a song and direct choreography for an audition survival series.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Other defensive elements included an Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft, a NATO refueling tanker, and a German Patriot air defense system, the New York Times reported.
    George Petras, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hence, the Hollow Knight is starting to crack, and is leaking Radiance all over the place, which is why the bugs of the kingdom have lost their minds.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Over the past two decades the kingdom has largely been ruled by the Shinawatras or their proxies, or the military.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In California’s strawberry fields, an ICE raid sparked widespread panic and disruption among farmworker communities.
    David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Charlotte’s second consecutive 11-play drive halted in the red zone after Harrell led the 49ers down the field with repetitive strikes through the air, finding his favorite target, Javen Nicholas, to set Charlotte up in scoring position.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On its opening day, multiple patients from UHI made the short walk across Fisherman Street to the big blue bus to wait for their names to be called.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • But these are also comfortable enough to wear on many outdoor adventures, including hikes and walks.
    Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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