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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 professional
Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
The teacher winds up dismissed and Ahangarani decides to leave school to become a professional actress.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 May 2026
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
From the bands, medical professionals can easily identify women who may be at risk for complications surrounding their child’s birth.
—Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for professional
Adjective
After that, Benyamin plans to enter the professional world.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
The teacher winds up dismissed and Ahangarani decides to leave school to become a professional actress.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 May 2026
Noun
Generations of young professionals were taught to go to college, get a 9-5 job, and climb the corporate ladder.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
From the bands, medical professionals can easily identify women who may be at risk for complications surrounding their child’s birth.
—Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for professional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professional
Adjective
-
Republicans said those were only technical fixes.—
Mary Clare Jalonick,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Injuries, new player adaptation and recruitment focusing on technical players while the rest of the league prepared for a fight.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The company was hit with the maximum civil penalty of $5,000 per violation, totaling $375 million.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
17 May 2026
-
The bishop, speaking with the Washington Examiner ahead of the address, called belief in the Christian God a fundamental underpinning of American civil society that guarantees minority faiths’ freedoms.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
These sorts of inquiries are obscure, specialist, niche, at the edge.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.—
Ryan Brennan
May 12,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
In these situations, even highly skilled engineers spend more time managing complexity rather than delivering value.—
Prashanthi Kolluru,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Production infrastructure and skilled crew have kept up the pace too, Olguin says.—
Kathy A. McDonald,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Any respectable Sevillian is an expert in caracoles.—
Miguel Macias,
NPR,
13 May 2026
-
No respectable woman would permit such an abomination.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Lonnie Ali, the boxer's wife and co-founder of the Ali Center, is an executive producer and consultant on the project due out later this year.—
Wendy Naugle,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
During the meeting, Elizabeth Peterson-Gower, a land use consultant representing the owner and applicant Dome Center LLC, was asked if there was a timeline for reopening the theaters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
An online portal with information about when books will be released resembles a Wall Street trader’s screen, displaying data, charts and specialized software that tracks the book market.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialized training, equipment and strict safety protocols.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Confirm details in writing early, keep communication brief and businesslike, and build in flexibility where possible.—
Rebecca L. Palmer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
The Hurricanes wiped the floor with the Ottawa Senators in businesslike fashion in four straight games in the first round, were the top team in the Eastern Conference in the regular season with 113 points and have regularly made deep playoff runs under unparalleled coach Rod Brind’Amour.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Professional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professional. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
