OFFICE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'office' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of office are duty , function , and province . While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," 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

Q: In what contexts can 'duty' take the place of 'office'?

While the synonyms duty and office are close in meaning, 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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'function' instead of 'office'?

While in some cases nearly identical to office , 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

Q: When could 'province' be used to replace 'office'?

The meanings of province and office largely overlap; however, 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

office

noun

ˈä-fəs

Definition of office next

as in department

a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the company's main office is in Atlanta

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in duty

something one must do because of prior agreement one of the chief offices of a friend is to be there in someone's hour of need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word office distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of office are duty, function, and province. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," 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

In what contexts can duty take the place of office?

While the synonyms duty and office are close in meaning, 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 it sensible to use function instead of office?

While in some cases nearly identical to office, 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 could province be used to replace office?

The meanings of province and office largely overlap; however, 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

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 office On his first day in office, Trump terminated a Biden-era parole process that has allowed over half-a-million Cubans, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Haitians to temporarily live and work in the United States. —

Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2025 President Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office instructing federal agencies to shut down diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, prompting agencies to start reviewing all the information on their websites. —

Brian Bennett, TIME, 31 Jan. 2025 The innies retain some knowledge of life outside the office — Irving was able to drive a car during the Overtime Contingency, and the innies know that there is a sky, even if most have never seen one — but perhaps that can be fine-tuned depending on the job each is being asked to do? —

Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025 Each of the four office buildings total 125,000 square feet, according to the Compstak commercial property database. —

George Avalos, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for office

Recent Examples of Synonyms for office

Noun

The hires come at a busy time for the La Grange Park department, Maggos said.

— Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Season 1 had some hints at that—for example, the paintings and mythology depicting different departments rebelling, where the content varied by department.

— Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2025