profess
verb (used with object)
to lay claim to, often insincerely; pretend to.
professing
-
present participleof profess.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mrs. Paxton released an ad professing to address “the elephant in the room,” in which she urged Texans to get “the whole team across the finish line”—without naming her estranged husband.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Then there were the officials whose job is literally to know things, professing not to know anything.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
Even before the GPT-2 paper, A.I. insiders have been issuing apocalyptic, god-in-the-machine proclamations about this software, professing fears that observers rarely followed up on and that almost never lived up to scrutiny.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce - an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' - in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2025
Aerys Targaryen must have thought that his gods had answered his prayers when Lord Tywin Lannister appeared before the gates of King's Landing with an army twelve thousand strong, professing loyalty.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
