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 Harry Styles professes his love for techno music via a hat during a walk in North London on June 25. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 In recent campaign communications, all three Democrats running to become the next governor of Kansas have cited internal data professing themselves to be leading their primary competition. — Matthew Kelly updated June 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026 This was something that Clarkson, who has professed his love for the car on more than one occasion, would end up documenting on Top Gear. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 June 2026 McAfee has professed the benefits of unpasteurized milk in public libraries and chiropractor offices. — CNN Money, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for profess

Recent Examples of Synonyms for profess

Verb

But growth and affordability are pulling in opposite directions right now, and Hampton's leadership doesn’t pretend otherwise.

— Asia Alexander, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Maybe the most ethical – and enjoyable – way to travel now is to stop pretending you live there and embrace your status as a tourist.

— Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Definition of pretend

Verb

Two people were declared dead at the scene and four others, including a 2-year-old boy, were transported to Harborview Medical Center, the fire department said in a statement.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
Gabriel Edwards was declared to have died July 1 after his helicopter ditched in the Arabian Sea.

— Chris Kenning, USA Today, 26 July 2026

Definition of declare

Verb

Rignol has spent over a year in court insisting that Yale used the wrong tools, followed the wrong procedures, asked for the wrong file, and reached the wrong conclusions.

— Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Supporters insist their measure is nonpartisan, noting that Democratic lawmakers also tried to restrict citizen initiatives before Republicans gained control of the Capitol.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of insist

Verb

Bitcoin Payments May Return Through Abstraction The mistake is assuming Bitcoin payments have to return in their original form to matter.

— Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
First introduced in The Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi apprentice finally made her live-action debut in season 2 of The Mandalorian, with Rosario Dawson assuming the role with cool confidence.

— Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026

Definition of assume

Verb

For Lynnette Grey Bull, who is Northern Arapaho and Hunkpapa Lakota, returning to Colorado is less about reclaiming the past than about asserting the present.

— Anna Alejo, CBS News, 31 July 2026
In addition, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has repeatedly asserted that inflation needs to be lower to hit the FOMC’s targets, perhaps implying a need for higher interest rates to achieve that.

— Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026

Definition of assert

Verb

As officers worked to disperse traffic, prosecutors allege Stacer sprayed the officers' vehicle with a fire extinguisher.

— Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Prosecutors allege Williams and several other suspects held a victim against his will, pistol whipped him and stripped him of his belongings, Boyd said.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of allege

Verb

It was supposed to relight its engines for a landing burn off the coast of Texas, simulating maneuvers required to return the booster back to the launch pad for recovery and reuse.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2026
This virtual environment will allow engineers to simulate production processes, equipment movement and manufacturing workflows before physical work begins.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026

Definition of simulate

Verb

The police department received state accreditation, which the mayor and police director have proclaimed demonstrates that officers have implemented modern policing practices.

— Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Last year, Thumbtack proclaimed 2025 as The Year of the Backyard – for the second year in a row.

— Terri Williams, Forbes.com, 29 July 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 3 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of profess

verb

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