profess

1 to present a false appearance of professed friendship while secretly plotting revenge Synonyms act, affect, assume, bluff, counterfeit, dissemble, fake, pass (for), pretend, feign, put on, sham, simulateRelated Words dissimulate, impersonate, let on, masquerade, play, playact, pose; forge, imitate; camouflage, conceal, disguise, mask; feint; malinger

2 to state clearly and strongly the lonely woman professed her love in a series of letters to the soldier Synonyms affirm, aver, avouch, avow, declare, guarantee, lay down, assertRelated Words advance, advertise, boost, plug, promote, publicize; announce, blaze, call, proclaim, pronounce, say; accent, accentuate, emphasize, stress, underline, underscore; advocate, champion, defend, espouse, support, uphold; assure, convince, persuade; explain, justify, rationalize; reaffirm, reassertNear Antonyms minimize, understate; disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook

3 to state as a fact usually forcefully he professed his innocence to anyone who would listen Synonyms affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, contend, declare, insist, maintain, claim, protest, purport, warrantRelated Words announce, broadcast, proclaim; argue, rationalize, reason; confirm, justify, vindicate; defend, persevere, support, uphold; reaffirm, reassertNear Antonyms abandon; disavow, disclaim, disown, negate, negative, reject, repudiate; challenge, dispute, question; confute, disprove, rebut, refute; contradict, counterAntonyms deny, gainsay