province

noun

ˈprä-vən(t)s How to pronounce province (audio)
Definition of provincenext
as in area
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence a legal question outside the doctor's province

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Part of the range, including the impressive Three Peaks of Lavaredo, can be found in the South Tyrol province in northeastern Italy. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2025 This reflected the taste of upper-class urbanites, but snails were still eaten in the eastern provinces of France. —Garritt C. Van Dyk, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025 North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles from one of its eastern coastal provinces on Thursday as its state media reported the ship launch failure, South Korean defense officials said. —Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 22 May 2025 What To Know The MCA, the sixth joint maritime activity between the United States and the Philippines and the second this year, took place off the country's western provinces of Palawan and Occidental Mindoro, the Philippine military said in a statement. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for province
Recent Examples of Synonyms for province
  1. area
  2. department
  3. realm
  4. domain
  5. element
  6. kingdom
  7. field
  8. walk
Noun
  • Some areas have already seen six inches of rain, with much more to come.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 June 2025
  • To build smarter, more agile systems, organizations should begin by conducting a thorough audit of their current resources to identify areas where AI can enhance existing processes.
    — David Jones, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Definition of area
Noun
  • The department said each area published on Thursday will receive formal notification they are deemed noncompliant and if they are believed to be in violation of any federal criminal statutes.
    — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
  • The department confirmed the person arrested was an LGBTQ activist.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025
Definition of department
Noun
  • More definitively, the company has made significant progress across the realms of healthcare delivery and life sciences through use-cases such as advancing protein structure prediction models, optimizing medical imaging LLMs and even progressing with VR technology.
    — Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • In that realm, the Padres have fared very well, not just this year but since 2021.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025
Definition of realm
Noun
  • Before entering the public domain, the book had already been turned into movies in 1926, 1949, 1974 (starring Robert Redford) and 2013 (directed by Baz Luhrmann) as well as several TV versions.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2025
  • The browser also blocked most of the domains associated with Yandex Metrica.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2025
Definition of domain
Noun
  • Staking peonies with peony cages offers the plant support and keeps it upright even through the elements.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
  • Welcome to Sliders, a weekly in-season MLB column that focuses on both the timely and timeless elements of baseball.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Definition of element
Noun
  • Furthermore, following President Trump’s recent visit, Saudi Arabian officials suggested that Tesla’s robotaxis could be introduced in the kingdom.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Powerless is set in the kingdom of Ilya where the Elites reign supreme with their breathtaking powers—and hunt those without.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 5 June 2025
Definition of kingdom
Noun
  • If finding indoor shelter is not an option: Avoid open fields, hill peaks, or ridge tops.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2025
  • Even more impressive was in relation to the rest of the Memorial field.
    — Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Definition of field
Noun
  • Mariah lost senior dog Rocky late in 2024 at age 12, having had him since childhood, and regularly posts videos of him in remembrance—playing, napping, on walks, and playing with his sister, Gigi.
    — Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • The relationship between the two was on display Wednesday night in Harlem's Apollo Theater, where Davis received both a lifetime achievement award and a spot on the theater's walk of fame.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Definition of walk

Browse Nearby Words

providing (for)
province
provinces
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on province

Nglish: Translation of province for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about province

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