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to profess

to profess

72 5.9
To say you believe or support something, often without meaning it
  • verb
  • /prəˈfɛs/
translation icon : declarar
  • One of the governor's servants falls in love with Arang and professes his love to her.
  • profess to love
  • profess a belief
  • profess to know

So they don't all profess innocence.

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Examples

  • It's not enough that the woman professes her love.

  • OK, this is an important thing that college doesn't even profess or claim to teach.

  • And in this book you profess that this is the truth of the world as we have it.

  • We are proud to profess it.

  • Especially since these people professed belief in the same God.

  • PNP leaders continue to profess their basic commitment to a reduction of poverty and inequality.

    Academic text (1992)
  • They profess to know God but deceive Him by deeds all the while.

  • Many times we hear or read this philosophy professed, but we don't always see it implemented.

    Academic text (1993)
  • But then he does this massive tour with all this publicity, and now he's publicly, you know, professed his faith.

  • He professed his love for her during a romantic dinner.

Synonyms

to declare
vsto profess
  • Formal
950 3.7

To officially tell other people or officials about something

can be more personal admitting feelings or expertise openly
to allege
vsto profess
  • Literature
497 5.3

To say that something is true without giving proof

often deals with feelings or claimed expertise sometimes without proof
to assert
vsto profess
229 3.9

To clearly and firmly say your needs or opinions

can instead mean an open claim that might be untrue
to proclaim
vsto profess
  • Formal
229 5.3

To officially announce something to the public

is used more for personal claims or admissions than ceremony
to purport
vsto profess
  • Formal
69 8.0

To claim to be or do something, often without proof

focuses more on stating feelings beliefs or claimed expertise
to avow
vsto profess
  • Formal
4 7.6

To say something openly, often in a formal way

allows claims that may be insincere or false

Antonyms

2.0

To say that something is not true

282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

How Open

to declare
  • Formal
950 3.7
to assert
229 3.9
to state
1.6
to profess
72 5.9
to suggest
2.1
to hint
136 2.0
to imply
367 3.5

Surface Forms

profess infinitive
professed past
professed past participle
professing present participle
professes third person singular

Etymology

Profess comes from Latin parts pro- ('forth') and fateri ('to admit' or 'to say'), so it originally meant 'say something openly'. That's why to profess can mean to declare or claim something in public (like a professor announcing what they know), and sometimes it can be only words rather than true feeling.