Synonyms

purport

American

[per-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt] / pərˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt, ˈpɜr pɔrt, -poʊrt, ˈpɜr pɔrt, -poʊrt /

verb (used with object)

to present, especially deliberately, the appearance of being; profess or claim, often falsely.

a document purporting to be official.
to convey to the mind as the meaning or thing intended; express or imply.

Synonyms:

signify, intend, mean

noun

the meaning, import, or sense.

the main purport of your letter.

Synonyms:

gist, trend, drift, implication
purpose; intention; object.

the main purport of their visit to France.

purport British

verb

to claim (to be a certain thing, etc) by manner or appearance, esp falsely
(esp of speech or writing) to signify or imply

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

meaning; significance
purpose; object; intention

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See meaning.

Other Word Forms

purportless adjective

Etymology

Origin of purport

First recorded in 1375–1425; (verb) late Middle English purporten, from Anglo-French purporter “to mean, signify,” Old French porporter “to carry, convey,” equivalent to pur- pro- ¹ + porter “to carry” (from Latin portāre ); (noun) late Middle English, from Anglo-French, derivative of the verb

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.

They’re spending over $1,000 a month in some cases on products that purport to improve their sleep, mental health, fertility, appearance and longevity, but often aren’t approved for those purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

With such vividly realized characters, the Coens portray a truth far larger than the crimes they purport to retell.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

They were pictured together at elite events in the 1990s, and photos published by CNN purport to show Epstein in attendance at Trump's wedding to then-wife Marla Maples.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

These are guys who purport to be data-driven, quantitative, hard-numbers people.

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2025

I did not hear of this charade until the next day, and did not understand its purport; rather thinking it a pleasant interlude from the more brutal games of the Sons of Liberty.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023