1
as in pretending
to present a false appearance of
professed friendship while secretly plotting revenge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in declaring
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 insisting
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 professing
After professing an oath of faithfulness to observe the customs of the cathedral, the archbishop may place a hand upon it or kiss it.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
The brothers discussed that game on their Einfach Mal Luppen podcast the week, with Toni professing a fondness for Dan Burn’s agricultural style.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Columbia Acting President Claire Shipman wrote in a morning email to students and faculty the Department of Homeland Security gained access to the Manhattan building by professing to be searching for a missing person.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
In response, Carlson sent Goldberg a series of hostile texts professing ignorance and warning Goldberg not to make his criticism public.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Murph the Surf and two of his boys were collared two days later, professing that the goods were gone.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Texas pulled off an upset against in-state rival Texas A&M on Friday night in a thrilling 27-17 victory that had head coach Steve Sarkisian professing his 9-3 Longhorns should make the College Football Playoff.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Meghan Markle is professing her love for Prince Harry five years after the couple’s royal exit.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Brady concluded his own explanation by professing his love of the game.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
The brothers discussed that game on their Einfach Mal Luppen podcast the week, with Toni professing a fondness for Dan Burn’s agricultural style.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Columbia Acting President Claire Shipman wrote in a morning email to students and faculty the Department of Homeland Security gained access to the Manhattan building by professing to be searching for a missing person.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
In response, Carlson sent Goldberg a series of hostile texts professing ignorance and warning Goldberg not to make his criticism public.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Murph the Surf and two of his boys were collared two days later, professing that the goods were gone.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Texas pulled off an upset against in-state rival Texas A&M on Friday night in a thrilling 27-17 victory that had head coach Steve Sarkisian professing his 9-3 Longhorns should make the College Football Playoff.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Meghan Markle is professing her love for Prince Harry five years after the couple’s royal exit.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Brady concluded his own explanation by professing his love of the game.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professing
Verb
-
Herbert's not going through the motions and pretending to be a relationship with a pop singer like some aging tight end.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Washington state’s House Bill 2225, due to come into effect in January 2027, will explicitly ban manipulative techniques such as excessive praise, pretending to feel distress, encouraging isolation from family, or creating overdependent relationships.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump has bypassed Congress’s constitutional role in the assessment of tariffs, budgeting and declaring war.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
At the urging of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the second Sunday in May to be Mother’s Day.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The 48-year-old musician repeated his anti-Jewish rhetoric in a 2025 post insisting his words aren’t the ramblings of a drunkard.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2026
-
His opponents mostly argue within the same framework, insisting the system should be fairer but still organized around the same ideals.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
With a razor-thin majority, the Speaker can afford to lose only two GOP votes on any party-line bill, assuming that all members are present and Democrats are united in opposition.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Providers also can fall victim to inadvertent bias, assuming a young, otherwise healthy patient must be dealing with something other than shingles.—
Alyssa Sparacino,
Glamour,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The complaint also alleged that Cento makes many false references asserting the product is DOP certified on its website and Amazon page.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
Councilmember Tim McOsker, who represents the 15th Council District, pinned the blame for the fire on Caltrans in an interview Wednesday, asserting that the agency failed on multiple fronts, including learning from past incidents.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung, alleging that the electronics manufacturer used her likeness to sell TVs without paying her and without permission.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
10 May 2026
-
Since then, multiple outlets, including the Italian news agency Adnkronos, have reported that Israel’s representative, Belu-Simion Fainaru, pressured the Biennale behind the scenes, alleging discrimination on the basis of race and antisemitism, and threatening to bring the show to court.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
That point was acknowledged immediately with the title track – not played since 2009 – opening the show as motion-simulating video tilted and zipped through a vibrant carnival.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Separate tests examined how the thermal protection system performs when its surface is damaged, simulating impacts from debris or micrometeoroids.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Which is to say that its power as a mode of redress in the first sense—as agent for proclaiming and correcting injustices—is being appealed to constantly.—
Nick Laird,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Today, there's writing on the wall outside, proclaiming the miracle of Ho Khanh.—
Nicole Young,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Professing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professing. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
