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

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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 To keep that distinction clear, Catholic clergy are usually prohibited from running for political office. —Esau McCaulley, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025 Arizona election will fill 1 of 3 House vacancies The special election will fill one of three vacancies in the U.S. House, all created after Democratic members of Congress died in office. —Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025 There has been a 26% decline in overdose deaths in 2024, according to the governor’s office. —Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025 However, candidates must live in California and be available to report to the office as needed. —Sacbee.com, 6 July 2025 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
  • Employers believe that workers in specific departments, like sales and marketing (85%) and human resources (78%), will derive significant value from AI implementation.
    — Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • If the measure is approved by city commissioners, police officers could receive a maximum of $250 in bonuses per shift for stops in Worthington Hills, a 0.3-square-mile city of about 1,500 residents off Westport Road that does not have its own police department.
    — Josh Wood, The Courier-Journal, 15 July 2025
Definition of department
Noun
  • Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump began informing America’s trading partners about their new duty rates under his tariff regime.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 15 July 2025
  • In fact, Cadillac even dialed the power up for sport-ute duty, pulling 682 hp out of the 6.2-liter supercharged V8.
    — Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 15 July 2025
Definition of duty
Noun
  • The agency is also set to receive $14 billion for transportation and removals, plus billions more to hire new deportation officers, form state and local partnerships, get technology upgrades, and increase retention incentives for ICE personnel.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
  • The city approved her permits and the state environmental agency said the home would not negatively affect the environment.
    — Andrew Wimer, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of agency
Noun
  • The season sees Wyle's Dr. Robby shoulder the brunt of responsibility as his ER endures a stressful day, capped off with a mass casualty event that sees resources stretched thin.
    — Shania Russell, EW.com, 15 July 2025
  • Data protection policy is typically owned by the chief information security officer (CISO), but the responsibility for migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) extends far beyond the security department.
    — Antonio Sanchez, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Neill Franklin, who was once head of the city’s drug and criminal enforcement bureau.
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2025
  • It is written by Susan Page, USA TODAY's Washington bureau chief.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 19 July 2025
Definition of bureau
Noun
  • The company emphasized that under both legal and contractual obligations, the company should have been informed of the arrangements.
    — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • The company has racked up nearly $30 million in fines for failing to meet staffing guidelines and other contractual obligations, but reform advocates argue the fines are not a clear incentive for CoreCivic to improve its facilities.
    — Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 15 July 2025
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • Globally, two-thirds of desk workers haven’t tried AI, often citing unclear permissions.
    — Curt Steinhorst, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Nick Saban commentates on the ESPN College Gameday desk prior to the 2024 SEC Championship between the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 07, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
    — Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Definition of desk
Noun
  • Ray came almost every shift to take care of Hermon's father's vital signs and basic needs.
    — Ryan Katz, NPR, 21 July 2025
  • That means the lights change on their own, in real time, as the lake conditions change, eliminating the need for people to change the flags when the changes occur.
    — Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
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 29 Jul. 2025.

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