business

noun

ˈbiz-nəs How to pronounce business (audio)
Definition of businessnext
1
as in patronage
transactions or economic support provided by customers only places that are equal opportunity employers will get my business

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in firm
a commercial or industrial activity or organization most of the local businesses belong to the association

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in matter
something to be dealt with we have one piece of business remaining for today's meeting

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4
as in commerce
the buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places this bookstore is a place of business, not a free library, so please do your reading elsewhere

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5
as in role
the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists plants going about the business of photosynthesis provide the Earth with a renewable source of oxygen

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6
as in area
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence if you want a medical malpractice lawyer, he's the best in the business

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7
as in job
a specific task with which a person or group is charged the interrogators demanded to know what business the suspect had in the restricted area at that time of night

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8
as in treachery
the act or fact of violating the trust or confidence of another the price for giving the drug lord the business was certain death

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun business differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of business are calling, employment, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When is it sensible to use calling instead of business?

In some situations, the words calling and business are roughly equivalent. However, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When would employment be a good substitute for business?

The words employment and business can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

In what contexts can métier take the place of business?

Although the words métier and business have much in common, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

When might occupation be a better fit than business?

The words occupation and business are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When can pursuit be used instead of business?

While the synonyms pursuit and business are close in meaning, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

Where would work be a reasonable alternative to business?

The meanings of work and business largely overlap; however, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

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 business Once Schurmans joined, WRT set about taking on additional motorsport business, with a dedicated manufacturing division established alongside its racing operations. — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Once viewed only as a source of capital, today Saudi Arabia is enticing technology companies to come and do business. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026 An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of the Lee’s Summit school district’s assistant superintendent of business services. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026 Heitstuman said that the LGBT Center is working with local businesses and community partners such as the Midtown Association to improve safety in the area. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for business
Recent Examples of Synonyms for business
  1. patronage
  2. firm
  3. matter
  4. commerce
  5. role
  6. area
  7. job
  8. treachery
Noun
  • There are already signs that Yavarhoussen’s collecting and patronage has had an impact beyond Madagascar.
    — Gameli Hamelo, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In the right hands, the Interior Ministry can be a formidable patronage machine, exerting authority over everything from local budgets to Senate elections.
    — Duncan McCargo, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of patronage
Noun
  • None of the lead articles compare firms that adopted these AI processes with otherwise similar firms that did not, on realized strategy quality or long-run performance.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The three firms that just put their IPO plans on hold have until the end of September to either complete an offering or reapply to the regulator for listing approval.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of firm
Noun
  • Conduct a Soil Test Taking samples of the soil from several places in the lawn will provide information about soil acidity (pH), nutrient levels, and organic matter content.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
  • From obscurity to the top of the football world, all in the matter of a few days.
    — Sam McDowell August 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of matter
Noun
  • This is where NuOrder, the B2B commerce platform, came into the picture.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Brad Bourque is a tech journalist and commerce writer based out of Portland, Oregon.
    — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of commerce
Noun
  • That last might be especially true for female human beings who may be more encouraged to have derived an identity based on our role as marital partner or parent.
    — Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The case turned into a years-long legal saga, with multiple people convicted of their roles in arranging the hit, including Wendi’s brother, Charlie Adelson, and her mother, Donna.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of role
Noun
  • Shawn Ryan Tackling a distance like that will need considerably more solar area, but Ryan has ruled out the obvious fix of simply widening his current upright bike and plastering it with panels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • By dawn, a margin of only a few hundred votes separated the two camps before the gap grew as more ballots were tallied in areas of the country where opposition was greater.
    — Kwiyeon Ha, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of area
Noun
  • In April, Flock Safety opened a 97,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Smyrna that is intended to create more than 200 jobs over the next three years as part of a $10 million investment.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Giants are entrusting Bryce Eldridge, their 21-year-old rookie, with the job of protecting Devers in the lineup.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of job
Noun
  • For his treachery in conspiring with Gwayne, Daemon claims Corlys as his own prisoner.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Guides spoke of the monthlong siege that ended only because of the treachery of a local noble who turned on the sultan and allowed British troops to scale the walls.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Definition of treachery

Phrases Containing business

Browse Nearby Words

busily
business
businesses
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Cite this Entry

“Business.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/business. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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