office

noun

ˈä-fəs How to pronounce office (audio)
Definition of officenext
1
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
2
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 Banijay is closing All3Media International’s New York office, a move that will see a new round of layoffs following its mega-merger with the British production group. — Peter White, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 Commissioner Matt Mizell asked if any of the data collected by the sheriff’s office could be shared with other departments. — Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026 Still, Fed officials have not been shy about providing their economic and rate outlook in speeches and interviews with the press since Warsh took office. — Steve Liesman, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Ten days later, the district attorney’s office declined to bring charges. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for office
Recent Examples of Synonyms for office
  1. department
  2. duty
  3. agency
  4. responsibility
  5. bureau
  6. obligation
  7. desk
  8. need
Noun
  • Additionally, the department has been coordinating with the Nepali government to assist with the rescue effort.
    — Isabel Danzis, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The department did not immediately respond to The Bee’s request for comment.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of department
Noun
  • Harry and Meghan are returning to the UK as private citizens and will not be resuming any official duties on behalf of King Charles III.
    — Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There is little for police to do besides offer condolences, ask questions and carry out their legal duty to confirm the parents did nothing that constitutes a crime in Idaho.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of duty
Noun
  • Anthropic wanted assurance that its technology would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance, and the DOD wanted Anthropic to grant the agency unfettered access to Claude across all lawful purposes.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Currently, free agency begins five days after the World Series, with no expiration on when players can sign.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of agency
Noun
  • Handle one visible fix, share one responsibility, or set up tomorrow’s essentials.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • For smaller practices, the development of digital outreach often takes place alongside patient care and routine administrative responsibilities.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • The lighter touch appears, so far, to be a hallmark of the Vought-era bureau.
    — Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • For former Census Bureau Director Robert Santos, a Biden nominee, the close timing of the policy revision and the bureau's release of an unauthored report with claims about noncitizen voting is striking.
    — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of bureau
Noun
  • Current remaining performance obligation (cRPO) up 14% in constant currency, which is also 1 percentage point above the July quarter guide.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The school board directed the Superintendent to determine what the district’s financial obligations would be if a Schools of Hope charter occupied a closed school.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • The display is clear enough to read from across a room, small enough to sit unobtrusively on a desk or kitchen bench, and far more interesting than another anonymous black LCD clock.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Other trading desks on Tuesday expressed doubts about whether any upside in Nvidia's performance numbers, regardless of size, could move the stock, in contrast to announcements of buybacks or product price increases.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of desk
Noun
  • Errands, chores, or work needs may bump against your desire for ease, beauty, or personal space.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The various configurations allow the property to accommodate a range of needs, budgets, and even levels of privacy, making the experience that much more customizable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of need

Browse Nearby Words

offhandedness
office
officeholder
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/office. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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