...the Republicans' professed support for traditional family values. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: claim, allege, pretend, fake More Synonyms of profess
2. verb
If you profess a feeling, opinion, or belief, you express it.
[formal]
He professed to be content with the arrangement. [VERB to-infinitive]
Bacher professed himself pleased with the Indian tour. [V pron-refl adj]
...a right to profess their faith in Islam. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: state, admit, announce, maintain More Synonyms of profess
profess in British English
(prəˈfɛs)
verb
1.
to affirm or announce (something, such as faith); acknowledge
to profess ignorance
to profess a belief in God
2. (transitive)
to claim (something, such as a feeling or skill, or to be or do something), often insincerely or falsely
to profess to be a skilled driver
3.
to receive or be received into a religious order, as by taking vows
Word origin
C14: from Latin prōfitērī to confess openly, from pro-1 + fatērī to confess
profess in American English
(proʊˈfɛs; prəˈfɛs)
verb transitive
1.
to make an open declaration of; affirm
to profess one's love
2.
to claim to have (some feeling, an interest, knowledge, etc.)
often connoting insincerity or pretense
3.
to practice as one's profession
4.
to declare one's belief in
to profess Christianity
5.
to accept into a religious order
verb intransitive
6.
to make profession, or affirmation
7.
to make one's profession (sense 4)
Word origin
< L professus, pp. of profiteri, to avow publicly < pro-, before (see pro-2) + fateri, to avow, akin to fari, to speak: see fable; (sense 5) ME professen < profes, professed < L professus
Examples of 'profess' in a sentence
profess
But restaurants so often profess some sort of philosophy.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She shrieked and wailed but professed ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other cases hospital workers have professed ignorance of the scheme.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Those who dislike poetry often profess a rather foggy attachment to its past, but their opponent knows his stuff.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
profess
British English: profess VERB
If you profess to do or have something, you claim that you do it or have it, often when you do not.
She professed to hate her nickname.
American English: profess
Brazilian Portuguese: alegar
Chinese: > 声称常不真实地
European Spanish: profesar
French: déclarer
German: vorgeben
Italian: dichiarare
Japanese: 言い張る
Korean: > 단언하다보통 거짓된 것을
European Portuguese: alegar
Latin American Spanish: profesar
1 (verb)
Definition
to claim (something as true), often falsely
`I don't know,' he replied, professing innocence.
Synonyms
claim
He claimed that it was a conspiracy against him.
allege
The accused is alleged to have killed a man.
pretend
He pretended to be asleep.
fake
He faked nonchalance.
make out
sham
purport
a book that purports to tell the whole truth
feign
You can't feign interest in something you loathe.
act as if
let on
I let on that I knew more than I really did.
dissemble
2 (verb)
Definition
to acknowledge openly
He professed that he was content with the arrangements.
Synonyms
state
Clearly state your address and telephone number.
admit
A huge proportion of them admit to regularly breaking the laws of the road.
announce
The couple were planning to announce their engagement.
maintain
Prosecutors maintain that no deal was made.
own
confirm
I can confirm that the area is now in rebel hands.
declare
He declared his intention to become the best golfer in the world.
acknowledge
I acknowledge that I made a mistake.
confess
I must confess I'm not a great sports enthusiast.
assert
We assert that the bill violates the First Amendment.
proclaim
He continues to proclaim his innocence.
affirm
`The place is a dump,' she affirmed.
certify
They have certified the document as genuine.
avow
a public statement avowing neutrality
vouch
aver
Her friends aver that men find her fascinating.
asseverate (formal)
Seeavow
Nearby words of
profess
productivity
profane
profanity
profess
professed
professedly
profession
Synonyms of 'profess'
profess
Explore 'profess' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of allege
Definition
to state without proof
The accused is alleged to have killed a man.
Synonyms
claim,
hold,
charge,
challenge,
state,
maintain,
advance,
declare,
assert,
uphold,
put forward,
affirm,
profess,
depose,
avow,
aver,
asseverate (formal)
in the sense of announce
Definition
to proclaim
The couple were planning to announce their engagement.
Synonyms
make known,
tell,
report,
reveal,
publish,
declare,
advertise,
broadcast,
disclose,
post,
tweet,
intimate,
proclaim,
trumpet,
make public,
publicize,
divulge,
promulgate,
propound,
shout from the rooftops (informal),
give out
in the sense of assert
Definition
to state or declare
We assert that the bill violates the First Amendment.
Synonyms
state,
argue,
maintain,
declare,
allege,
swear,
pronounce,
contend,
affirm,
profess,
attest,
predicate,
postulate,
avow,
aver,
asseverate (formal),
avouch (archaic)
in the sense of asseverate
Definition
to declare solemnly
Synonyms
declare,
state,
maintain,
protest,
swear,
assert,
pronounce,
affirm,
profess,
attest,
predicate,
avow,
aver,
avouch (archaic)
in the sense of aver
Definition
to state to be true
Her friends aver that men find her fascinating.
Synonyms
state,
say,
maintain,
declare,
protest,
allege,
swear,
assert,
proclaim,
pronounce,
affirm,
profess,
avow,
asseverate (formal),
avouch
in the sense of avow
Definition
to state or affirm
a public statement avowing neutrality
Synonyms
state,
maintain,
declare,
allege,
recognize,
swear,
assert,
proclaim,
affirm,
profess,
aver,
asseverate
in the sense of certify
Definition
to guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)
They have certified the document as genuine.
Synonyms
confirm,
show,
declare,
guarantee,
witness,
assure,
endorse,
testify,
notify,
verify,
ascertain,
validate,
attest,
corroborate,
avow,
authenticate,
vouch for,
aver
in the sense of confess
Definition
to admit to be true, esp. reluctantly
I must confess I'm not a great sports enthusiast.
Synonyms
declare,
own up,
allow,
prove,
reveal,
grant,
confirm,
concede,
assert,
manifest,
affirm,
profess,
attest,
evince (formal),
aver
in the sense of confirm
Definition
to reaffirm (something), so as to make (it) more definite
I can confirm that the area is now in rebel hands.
Synonyms
affirm,
state,
declare,
assert,
testify,
pronounce,
certify,
attest,
aver,
asseverate (formal),
avouch
in the sense of declare
Definition
to state firmly and forcefully
He declared his intention to become the best golfer in the world.
Synonyms
state,
claim,
announce,
voice,
express,
maintain,
confirm,
assert,
proclaim,
pronounce,
utter,
notify,
affirm,
profess,
avow,
aver,
asseverate (formal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of fake
Definition
to pretend to have (an illness, emotion, etc.)
He faked nonchalance.
Synonyms
sham,
affect,
assume,
put on,
pretend,
simulate,
feign,
go through the motions of
in the sense of feign
Definition
to pretend to experience (a particular feeling)
You can't feign interest in something you loathe.
Synonyms
pretend,
affect,
assume,
put on,
devise,
forge,
fake,
imitate,
simulate,
sham,
act,
fabricate,
counterfeit,
give the appearance of,
dissemble,
make a show of
in the sense of let on
Definition
to pretend
I let on that I knew more than I really did.
Synonyms
pretend,
make out,
feign,
simulate,
affect,
profess,
counterfeit,
make believe,
dissemble,
dissimulate
in the sense of maintain
Definition
to assert
Prosecutors maintain that no deal was made.
Synonyms
assert,
state,
hold,
claim,
insist,
declare,
allege,
contend,
affirm,
profess,
avow,
aver,
asseverate (formal)
in the sense of pretend
Definition
to claim or give the appearance of (something untrue)