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

Meredith and Derek are still in the throes of their will-they-won’t-they dynamic, culminating in the season finale when Meredith builds the iconic house of candles to profess her commitment to him. —Annabel Gutterman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024

Yet, Vance professes to be agnostic even today on this point. —The Editors, National Review, 16 Sep. 2024

Trump and Harris then went back and forth professing their love for and commitment to Israel with brief mentions of Palestinians as if their right to life and dignity was an afterthought. —Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 11 Sep. 2024

Under Slot, Liverpool is playing a brand of soccer that is largely similar to that professed by Klopp, but the Dutchman has brought a few of his own ideas that have freshened things up. —Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

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