profess

verb

pro·​fess prə-ˈfes 

prō-

professed; professing; professes

transitive verb

1

: to receive formally into a religious community following a novitiate by acceptance of the required vows

2

a

: to declare or admit openly or freely : affirm

b

: to declare in words or appearances only : pretend, claim

3

: to confess one's faith in or allegiance to

4

a

: to practice or claim to be versed in (a calling or profession)

b

: to teach as a professor

intransitive verb

1

: to make a profession or avowal

2

obsolete : to profess friendship

Synonyms

• act
• affect
• assume
• bluff
• counterfeit
• dissemble
• fake
• feign
• pass (for)
• pretend
• put on
• sham
• simulate

Examples of profess in a Sentence

He professes confidence in his friend.

They profess loyalty to the king.

Recent Examples on the Web

His Hindu nationalist party has sought to turn India – a nation constitutionally bound to secularism – into a Hindu rashtra, or homeland for the Hindu majority, critics say, at the expense of the millions who profess minority faiths. —Aishwarya S Iyer, CNN, 10 Feb. 2025

The surprises in the premiere didn’t stop, with Ty, who had been stuck in the friends zone with Annie for four seasons, suddenly finding the courage to profess his love, which is reciprocated. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2025

In addition to his support for Robinson, Musk has also professed support for Nigel Farage, the British Trump ally who leads the anti-immigration Reform UK party. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 3 Jan. 2025

After all, even Bernie Sanders, despite chastising Kennedy multiple times during this week’s confirmation hearings, professed his support for aspects of the MAHA movement. —Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from Middle English, from profes, adjective, having professed one's vows, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin professus, from Latin, past participle of profitēri to profess, confess, from pro- before + fatēri to acknowledge; in other senses, from Latin professus, past participle — more at confess

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

profess

verb

pro·​fess prə-ˈfes 

1

: to declare openly or freely

profess confidence in a friend

2

: pretend entry 1 sense 1, claim

professed to be our friends