PROFESS Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

profess

verb

prə-ˈfes

Definition of profess

as in to pretend

to present a false appearance of professed friendship while secretly plotting revenge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to declare

to state clearly and strongly the lonely woman professed her love in a series of letters to the soldier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to insist

to state as a fact usually forcefully he professed his innocence to anyone who would listen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 profess Millions of votes are not yet cast, and anyone professing to know exactly what's going to happen is lying. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026 But Israeli commentators also professed shock, if not surprise, Sunday at how closely aligned the journalist and spin doctor appeared to be. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson was one of several Commanders to enjoy a proper English tea time, while QB1 Jayden Daniels professed his support for Chelsea. — Elise Devlin, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026 With this time-shaping device called the Chronovisor, Father Pellegrino Ernetti professed to have seen footage of the crucified Christ and even enjoyed a lost play staged by an ancient Roman dramatist. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for profess

Recent Examples of Synonyms for profess

Verb

Smart did not enter pleas to charges of being armed, or pretending to be armed, in a way that may cause fear and with making an unlawful threat.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Lee uses this to his advantage, pretending to be a pidgin-speaking Chinese immigrant to protect himself from white people’s suspicion and mistrust.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretend

Verb

But the National Electoral Council, which is stacked with ruling-party loyalists, declared Maduro the winner.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
But the National Electoral Council, which is stacked with ruling party loyalists, declared Maduro the winner.

— Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of declare

Verb

The administration insists its strategy of inflicting economic pain is working.

— Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Putin has long insisted that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Russia has tried — and failed — to fully capture over more than four years of war have always been Russian.

— Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of insist

Verb

Figures assume a married, two-earner couple with one child earning $99,999 and are not adjusted for inflation.

— Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Walczak’s estimates assume local governments raise tax rates enough to fully replace the lost revenue, based on state property records for every parcel in Florida.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of assume

Verb

But experts believe Kim's sister has been asserting her authority recently, too, and appearances like this week's are part of that effort.

— Anna Coren, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Joseph Hill, the director of the Center for Black Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, asserted that BASL is generally treated as more of a dialect than a language.

— New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of assert

Verb

Walter also is a defendant in multiple civil lawsuits filed by investors alleging fraud and breach of contract.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
The Justice Department this month received a federal judge's permission to intervene in the case, alleging that the city’s actions violate the Equal Protection Cause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Fair Housing Act.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of allege

Verb

This testing simulated the extreme temperatures, shaking and even the sounds that the spacecraft will experience from launch to landing.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The third stage, Jalan said, uses digital twins that simulate scenarios across more variables than a human team can work through, producing action plans in hours rather than weeks.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of simulate

Verb

But this particular reality show tries to justify its controversial existence by proclaiming its seriousness with regards to psychology, philosophy, and current events.

— Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Just this week, luminaries like Neil Young and Hideo Kojima came out of the woodwork to proclaim the film a misunderstood masterpiece.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of proclaim

Browse Nearby Words

profanity

profess

professed

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Style

“Profess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profess. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of profess

verb

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