1
as in technical
having or showing trained ability in a particular field of knowledge
Many of the applicants lacked the professional experience the job required. She had always dreamed of becoming a professional boxer.
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2
as in civil
in a serious and polite manner
She found his presentation informative and his delivery quite professional. Employees were expected to act in a professional manner when dealing with potential customers.
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as in specialist
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
If you want the job done right, you really should hire a professional.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of professional
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 13 June 2026
This matchup began in 1920 when two professional football teams called Illinois home.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Ari Daniel, NPR, 12 June 2026
Oftentimes highly skilled professionals can make the wrong decisions.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for professional
Adjective
Overall, Williams won 73 singles titles and picked up just under $95 million dollars in a career that made her one of the biggest icons in the history of professional sport.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 13 June 2026
This matchup began in 1920 when two professional football teams called Illinois home.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Noun
The research team says the goal now is to get medical professionals and health workers to adopt their recommendations.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 12 June 2026
Oftentimes highly skilled professionals can make the wrong decisions.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for professional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professional
Adjective
-
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing, to be followed by technical-level talks in the coming week.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
Snowden resigned from the CIA in 2009 and began working as a technical expert for Dell, which managed the computer systems for multiple government agencies.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Aside from drawing on years of experience modeling natural catastrophes, risk experts are also tapping into methodologies used to help predict other threats such as strikes, riots and civil commotion.—
Gautam Naik,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
-
After filing a civil lawsuit against JCPenney in 2001, the family was awarded $137,500, the New York Daily News reported.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The staffing includes seven mental-health professionals and a foster-youth specialist.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
Rescue teams, including diving and water specialists, were sent to retrieve Antar’s body, which was found by divers at a depth of 30 meters (100 feet) below the water surface.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Needless to say, fewer international students today can mean fewer skilled workers in sectors like tech, healthcare, and engineering tomorrow.—
Bjorn Markeson,
Fortune,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Either way, these ancient humans were skilled foragers and hunter-gatherers who lived in small groups of perhaps a dozen people and only rarely crossed paths with other bands.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
His respectable rookie numbers may have signaled an upward trajectory, but the fifth-year tight end failed to record more than five catches in a season again until his return to Miami.—
Tyler Carmona
June 10,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
-
Their unsightly displays on special teams and anemic offensive output left them with little to hang their hat on, especially since their respectable goals-against numbers often came at the expense of their attack.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The Newsom administration has attempted creative efforts to shrink CDCR’s budget, such as hiring outside consultants to find operations efficiencies, but those endeavors have resulted in less savings than initially anticipated.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
However, during a recent City Council meeting, City Administrator Mike Brungardt said that city staff is looking at incorporating regulations around lower noise levels in its noise ordinance and working with consultants to study new setbacks needed for data center development.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Orkin uses a proprietary liquid barrier system called Termidor, alongside their own specialized monitoring stations.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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That makes for a more compelling value proposition, useful in daily life, versus a more specialized machine with inferior performance.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
For his part, Bisignano, the Social Security commissioner, wants to be seen as a leader who’s making the agency more businesslike and efficient, according to interviews with agency staff and recordings of him speaking in private executive meetings.—
Eli Hager,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2026
-
For his part, Bisignano, the Social Security commissioner, wants to be seen as a leader who’s making the agency more businesslike and efficient, according to interviews with agency staff and recordings of him speaking in private executive meetings.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Professional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professional. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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