1
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
professed friendship while secretly plotting revenge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in declares
to state clearly and strongly
the lonely woman professed her love in a series of letters to the soldier
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in insists
to state as a fact usually forcefully
he professed his innocence to anyone who would listen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of professes
Trump often professes his support for farmers.
—
Anthony Pahnke, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The upcoming exhibition's contemporary edge professes the importance of displaying Native American art of the present, to resist the erasure of living, thriving Indigenous American cultures and communities.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
In this context, improving pay and addressing disparities will be a formidable undertaking for a mayoral administration that professes a commitment to economic justice.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Maurice grows steadily more intimate with a friend, Clive, trading books and letters with him over vacation, until Clive professes his love.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
Ongoing diversity problem Each year, Goodell professes a desire to see the NFL employ fair hiring practices that will ensure the league’s head coaching and general manager ranks reflect strong diversity.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
No matter how much people want to blame the departing Matt Nagy, or how Reid professes that the offense has been off just a tick, a significant part of why the Chiefs the last three seasons went 15th, 15th and 21st in scoring has a more holistic cause.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
Colossal Biosciences professes to have species conservation as its primary mission, but de-extinction technologies could be used for other purposes.
—JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
Also, this is the second scene of the season in which a male love interest professes an intense and specific oral fixation with his female partner.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Anthony Pahnke, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The upcoming exhibition's contemporary edge professes the importance of displaying Native American art of the present, to resist the erasure of living, thriving Indigenous American cultures and communities.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
In this context, improving pay and addressing disparities will be a formidable undertaking for a mayoral administration that professes a commitment to economic justice.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Maurice grows steadily more intimate with a friend, Clive, trading books and letters with him over vacation, until Clive professes his love.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
Ongoing diversity problem Each year, Goodell professes a desire to see the NFL employ fair hiring practices that will ensure the league’s head coaching and general manager ranks reflect strong diversity.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
No matter how much people want to blame the departing Matt Nagy, or how Reid professes that the offense has been off just a tick, a significant part of why the Chiefs the last three seasons went 15th, 15th and 21st in scoring has a more holistic cause.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
Colossal Biosciences professes to have species conservation as its primary mission, but de-extinction technologies could be used for other purposes.
—JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
Also, this is the second scene of the season in which a male love interest professes an intense and specific oral fixation with his female partner.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professes
Verb
-
Thus ensnared in a fiction of his making, the narrator takes his phone out and pretends to press Record.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Sporting a bright yellow raincoat and rainboots, Garcia pretends to be a journalist reporting on the storm in West Kendall as a palm tree leaf slaps her across the face.—
Xitlalic Montelongo,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maureen Groppe The arguments are in the history books as Chief Justice John Roberts declares, after slightly more than two hours of oral arguments, that the case has been submitted.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
When the government declares, implicitly or explicitly, that people don’t matter, investors should listen.—
Andrew Behar,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One owner was on the list of core properties from the very beginning, but still insists there won't be a deal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Worse is to come as Waaler insists on creepily fondling her cooling corpse — and makes Hole to do the same.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Philippe Venet assumes de Givenchy’s position.—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2026
-
This math also assumes a 20% down payment.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carolyn’s mother asserts that John was responsible for the crash.—
Jeff Wise,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
While the Ratanapakdee family asserts he was attacked because of his race, hate crime charges were not filed and the argument was not raised in trial.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Suspect also accused in carjacking A felony complaint filed in Mount Vernon alleges Grier's boyfriend, 28-year-old Joveair Brice, beat her with a hammer, causing her death.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Bohm’s lawsuit also alleges his parents used money from the Alec Bohm Foundation to pay their expenses.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ray tracing is a 3D rendering technology that simulates the behavior of light to produce realistic reflections and lighting effects.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Detachment 3 simulates a NASA emergency.—
Mark Strassmann,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The new Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, which Intel proclaims is its best gaming processor ever, is set to launch for just $299.—
Michael Justin Allen Sexton,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
-
And yet the miles of glorious golden sand – one of the only sandy beaches in Sussex – is undeniably delightful, and just nestled behind the dunes is a splendid hotel, The Gallivant, which proclaims that happiness is a place, right here, in Camber.—
Felicity Capon,
TheWeek,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Professes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professes. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
