professes

verb

present tense third-person singular of profess
1
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of professed friendship while secretly plotting revenge

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in declares
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
3
as in insists
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 professes In the following episode, Maggie professes her love to Lizzie. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 The exhibit, which professes to illustrate storytelling through art in its earliest manifestations, is a jarring introduction to a museum that houses 1,300 original works. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 All proudly professes himself as a man of faith. — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 2 June 2026 After the massive trauma crisis is resolved, Owen professes his desire to be with Teddy and move to Paris, where Teddy was considering a once-in-a-lifetime research position. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 7 May 2026 Vance professes to be ‘obsessed’ with UFO files Trump appears skeptical about the existence of extraterrestrial life. — Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026 Instead of a mutual parting of ways, Howard professes his love for Nancy and proposes that the two be together. — Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026 Trump often professes his support for farmers. — Anthony Pahnke, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026 The upcoming exhibition's contemporary edge professes the importance of displaying Native American art of the present, to resist the erasure of living, thriving Indigenous American cultures and communities. — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professes
  1. pretends
  2. declares
  3. insists
  4. assumes
  5. asserts
  6. alleges
  7. simulates
  8. proclaims
Verb
  • Directed by Kim Han-gyul, the film is an adaptation of 2012 Swedish film Cockpit about a pilot who pretends to be his own younger sister after being fired from his job.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience.
    — Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretends
Verb
  • The treaty also declares that space is a global commons that can be used only for peaceful purposes.
    — Stephanie Liechtenstein, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The treaty also declares that space is a global commons that can be used for only peaceful purposes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of declares
Verb
  • The biggest problem in its quarterly results Tuesday was the cardiovascular unit within its MedTech segment, though management insists the problems are fixable.
    — Alexa LoMonaco,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • No, the party insists that Republicans are in charge, making voters angry with their handling of the economy and the Middle East, so the culture-war politicking that worked for a decade won’t be as potent in November.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of insists
Verb
  • This implicit passivity assumes that technology, rather than people, will determine AI’s impact on work.
    — Byron Auguste, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In the novel, likewise, the narrator assumes an almost Homeric guise, comparing current harbor gossip to chatter from the Phoenician, Cretan, Greek, and Roman eras.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of assumes
Verb
  • This asserts, to me, that Pleasure is , innately, an entity of Earth, of The Density , of The Body.
    — Gabi Abrão, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But, Punsalan asserts that the business is focused on other, more important priorities over the cafeteria or campus perks such as gym access offered in other tech companies.
    — Tamlin Magee, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of asserts
Verb
  • In her lawsuit against LVRN, filed in Atlanta in August, Walker alleges the firm fraudulently hid money from her by running a YouTube page in her name and selling merch that used her name and likeness—both without informing or paying her.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI alleges that the presentation occurred months ago and claims Apple’s recent release of its Home View product adds to its concerns.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of alleges
Verb
  • Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates how light travels and interacts with surfaces to produce realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Here, what lies indoors simulates the beauty of the natural world.
    — Carrie Honaker, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of simulates
Verb
  • Robert proclaims his son a prodigy, and John’s childhood is swept away from him.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • When people start accusing Arisa, Victor proclaims that her holding his hands and asking him about being a Traitor was weird.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of proclaims

Browse Nearby Words

professedly
professes
professing
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Cite this Entry

“Professes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professes. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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