professed

adjective

pro·​fessed prə-ˈfest How to pronounce professed (audio)
prō-
1
: openly and freely declared or acknowledged : affirmed
2
: professing to be qualified
also : expert

Examples of professed in a Sentence

He is a professed enemy of the king. a professed analyst of American presidential politics
Recent Examples on the Web Human rights activists have accused the U.S. government of casting aside its professed commitment to promoting democracy and human rights abroad in favor of shoring up U.S. influence in the region. Katie Rogers, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2023 Human rights activists have accused the US government of casting aside its professed commitment to promoting democracy and human rights abroad in favor of shoring up US influence in the region. Peter Baker, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023 California has lagged far behind several other states on community solar, despite its professed leadership in confronting the climate crisis. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023 That war has posed a bit of a problem for China’s professed position, however. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2023 However, despite the professed commitment to change, many workplaces are stuck in time, perpetuating outdated practices and failing to embrace DEI’s potential. Billie Jean King, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2023 Flaherty took great care in selecting a jury with no professed knowledge of NSC-131. Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023 The two share a desire to challenge Western dominance, a position central to Putin’s professed self-image as a leader waging war on Ukraine to save the world from U.S. hegemony and greedy Western elites. David L. Stern, Washington Post, 13 July 2023 In decades past, independence was commonly thought to require an unequivocal, formal break with any legal or professed ties to China. Nathan F. Batto, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'professed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1524, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of professed was circa 1524

Dictionary Entries Near professed

Cite this Entry

“Professed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professed. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

professed

adjective
pro·​fessed prə-ˈfest How to pronounce professed (audio)
1
: openly declared
failed in its professed task
2
: claiming to be qualified
a professed expert

More from Merriam-Webster on professed

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