1
as in technical
having or showing trained ability in a particular field of knowledge
Many of the applicants lacked the professional experience the job required. She had always dreamed of becoming a professional boxer.
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2
as in civil
in a serious and polite manner
She found his presentation informative and his delivery quite professional. Employees were expected to act in a professional manner when dealing with potential customers.
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as in specialist
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
If you want the job done right, you really should hire a professional.
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of professional
Tim Chan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
The result is a service designed for performance, uptime and professional-grade dependability.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Singer-songwriter Warren Zevon and hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa are set to receive the Musical Influence Award for their lasting impact on rock & roll, while producer and music exec Lenny Waronker will take home the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performing industry professionals.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for professional
Adjective
But Flack’s professional life was occasionally overshadowed by turmoil in her personal life.
—Tim Chan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
The result is a service designed for performance, uptime and professional-grade dependability.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
Like Beran, Bell was also a successful professional in her 30s when she was diagnosed with colon cancer.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Singer-songwriter Warren Zevon and hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa are set to receive the Musical Influence Award for their lasting impact on rock & roll, while producer and music exec Lenny Waronker will take home the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performing industry professionals.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for professional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for professional
Adjective
-
But despite all the technical jargon, and despite the breathless chase after the newest innovations, the basic ideas of AI are not that complicated, and not that new, and they can be understood by all of us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The world’s most valuable company will offer technical talks and training through its Nvidia Deep Learning Institute to emerging startups in India.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The decision carried no criminal nor civil liability.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The outcome could potentially have lasting ramifications for civil-military relations and the boundaries of presidential power under the Constitution, particularly during protest movements and domestic emergencies.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Those specialists listen to callers’ needs and provide them with referrals to health and social service providers near them that may be able to help.—
Matthew W. Kreuter,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The science specialist university, together with Jabra, studied how voice technology will impact the future of work, and the scientists predicted that by 2028, voice AI will become the default way of working.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
No army in history seemed ever to have been more ragged and motley and mongrel and polyglot than the Continental, rich and poor, learned and illiterate, from boys to old men, skilled and unskilled, born all over the world, speaking dozens of languages, believing in different gods and in no god.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
-
China is increasingly leading the US as the center of global research, and cuts and restrictions on skilled migration are hampering Washington’s fightback.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But the collective 2,700 horsepower delivers a top speed of 36 knots, which is very respectable for a 71-foot luxury motoryacht.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Syracuse started the season a respectable 3-1, with its only loss in its first four games being its season opener against Tennessee in Atlanta.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Both consultants estimated that inflation in Caracas is currently running between 20% and 30% a month and is destined to keep rising as long as the bolivar depreciation continues.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Why This Matters Oscar campaigns mean parties, consultants, advertisements, and other exercises that carry steep price tags.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Over the past two years, preschool to fifth grade teachers have participated in specialized professional development to build literacy skills and have delivered promising results, according to Guerin.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The release of this specialized collection follows Rhode’s most recent product addition, Peptide Eye Prep.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As the subject of Materialists, Lucy’s coolness evolves from a businesslike need to maintain control over a situation.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
-
And how would the famously gruff and businesslike Belichick work with nineteen-year-olds?—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Professional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/professional. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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