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

This was after Nan professed her love to Guy (Matthew Broome) and had chosen him over the Duke of Tintagel. —Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2024

In a world where even those who profess to love movies largely stream them at home, Here is a picture that demands big-screen real estate. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024

Trump is only able to convince her to stay with him after chasing her into the street and professing his love. —Mike Miller, EW.com, 11 Oct. 2024

Businesses also wrestle with their public-facing brand and their operations behind the curtain (to borrow a turn of phrase from The Wizard of Oz, which Lynch professes to think about every day). —Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 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