Another Word for Career: 8 Synonyms with Examples
A career is the series of jobs someone does over their working life, usually in one field. Swap it when you mean a single job, a profession or a calling.
As a noun: a working life in a field
- profession
- occupation
- vocation
- calling
- line of work
- field
- trade
- livelihood
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How they differ
Synonyms share a meaning, not always a tone. Here is when to pick each of the main options.
- profession
- A job needing special training, such as law or medicine.
- occupation
- The kind of work someone does; neutral and official.
- vocation
- Work someone feels strongly suited or called to do.
- calling
- Similar to vocation; often used of caring or religious work.
- line of work
- Informal; the kind of job someone does.
- livelihood
- The way someone earns the money they need to live.
Example sentences
- profession: Teaching is a demanding but rewarding profession.
- occupation: Farming was the most common occupation in the village.
- vocation: She found her vocation working with young offenders.
- calling: For him, nursing was always a calling rather than a job.
- line of work: In my line of work, you meet all kinds of people.
- livelihood: The drought threatened the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for “career”?
The most useful alternatives are “profession”, “occupation”, “vocation”, “calling”, “line of work”. For the main sense (a working life in a field), “profession” is usually the closest swap.
What is the difference between “profession” and “occupation”?
profession: A job needing special training, such as law or medicine. occupation: The kind of work someone does; neutral and official.