Profess (Verb)
Meaning 1
Admit (to a wrongdoing); "She confessed that she had taken the money".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- He professes to have made a genuine effort to complete the project on time, but ultimately failed.
- She refuses to profess any involvement in the scandal, despite mounting evidence.
- He was forced to profess his guilt in court and apologize to the victim's family.
- After months of denial, the CEO finally professed to making a mistake and stepping down.
- The politician was reluctant to profess any wrongdoing, but the leaked documents told a different story.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Receive into a religious order or congregation.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The novice was admitted to the monastery and professed as a young monk after a year of novitiate.
- At the age of 25, she decided to profess as a nun and dedicate her life to serving others.
- He professed his vows and joined the Jesuit Order, following in the footsteps of his ancestors.
- She officially professed her faith and was accepted into the Benedictine Community at the end of the inquirer period.
- After several years of discernment and formation, he was prepared to profess his lifelong commitment to the Franciscan Brotherhood.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
State freely; "The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The politician professed concern for the environment, but her actions said otherwise.
- The company professed a commitment to customer satisfaction, but reviews told a different story.
- She professed her love for the city, having lived there her entire life.
- The artist professed a strong disdain for modern technology, instead focusing on traditional mediums.
- He professed his happiness, but his eyes told a story of sadness and despair.
Meaning 4
Take vows, as in religious order; "she professed herself as a nun".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- As a young woman, she had professed her devotion to the order of the Sisters of Mercy and spent her life serving the poor.
- During the ceremony, Brother Michael professed his vows before the entire congregation.
- At the age of 25, she professed herself to the Benedictine Order and took on the name Sister Elizabeth.
- He professed his commitment to the Franciscan way of life and began a journey of self-discovery and service.
- After years of contemplation, she professed her final vows as a Carmelite nun and dedicated her life to prayer and contemplation.
Related Words
Meaning 5
Practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about; "She professes organic chemistry".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The university lecturer professes several subjects in the physics department including quantum mechanics and relativity.
- He professes an in-depth knowledge of 19th-century literature, but his students often find his lectures boring.
- Professor Thompson professes psychology, focusing on clinical and counseling aspects of the discipline.
- She professes organic chemistry, although many students find her difficult to understand in the lab.
- He is a tutor who professes languages such as Spanish and Portuguese with impressive fluency.
Meaning 6
State insincerely; "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The politician professed his commitment to the cause, but his actions told a different story.
- He professed to be a vegetarian but was often caught eating meat.
- She professed a deep love for her fiancé, but her friends had their doubts.
- The business owner professed innocence in the financial scandal, but many believed he was involved.
- He professed to be a talented painter, but his work was mostly met with criticism.
Synonyms
Meaning 7
Confess one's faith in, or allegiance to; "The terrorists professed allegiance to their country"; "he professes to be a Communist".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She professes to be a devout Christian and often attends church services.
- He professed his love for the artist's work and spent hours studying her techniques.
- The rebel group professed allegiance to the new government, but their actions told a different story.
- Many historical figures professed to believe in various superstitions and myths of their time.
- The politician professed to be a strong advocate for the environment, but his voting record told a different story.