Definitions

profess

[pruh-fes] / prəˈfɛs /

VERB

declare, assert

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acknowledge admit affirm avow confess feign pretend proclaim stump

STRONG

allege announce asseverate aver avouch certify claim confirm croon depose dissemble fake maintain own predicate purport sing spiel spout state vouch

WEAK

act as if blow hot air come out constate cross heart get off chest get on soapbox make out open up own up say so soapbox swear on bible swear up and down talk big

Antonyms

STRONGEST

conceal deny disavow disown dispute hide refuse renounce repudiate

STRONG

be quiet contradict invalidate question reject

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Liebling didn’t profess to be the best wordsmith who ever lived, but he did say that he could write faster than anyone who could write better.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

First, she had to stop fighting the Others, the term for the billions united in groupthink, and accept if not entirely trust that the collective love they profess to have for her is real.

From Salon • Dec. 29, 2025

The two profess their love for each other.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

Once lawfully allowed in with provisional humanitarian status, they found our church — where they could be baptized and publicly profess their faith in Jesus — and legal help to begin their asylum request.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 28, 2025

In regarding my Work, some Readers profess greater Feeling for what it makes than for what it says.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Vocabulary lists containing profess

Words That Could Go Either Way: Synonyms for "Maybe"

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"Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell

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Pride

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