profess

Verb

Meaning

To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely.

To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of.

To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician.

To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.

To declare friendship.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

concede confess pretend state show hold say gush make-believe claim maintain affect tell argue express
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Antonyms

control contain challenge dispute check reject
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Hypernyms

take claim accept declare admit acknowledge

Hyponyms

fess up own up take the veil make a clean breast of

Related terms

professor profession

Phrases with the word

profess to be

Derivatives

professed professing

Examples

Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures. Thomas De Quincey

The first degree of folly is to conceit one's self wise the second to profess it the third to despise counsel. Benjamin Franklin

There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us. William Hazlitt

We should be wary of politicians who profess to follow history while only noticing those signposts of history that point in the direction which they themselves already favour. Douglas Hurd

I will begin with the self-styled "Christian" party, who profess to base their morality on the New Testament. But whether it is really more Christian to follow or to ignore the teachings of the Gospels I shall not discuss. F. H. Bradley

It is not what they profess but what they practice that makes them good. Greek Proverb

Close letter words and terms

proferens profert profesh profess to be professable professed