professed

American  

[pruh-fest] / prəˈfɛst /

adjective

1. avowed; acknowledged.

2. professing to be qualified; professional, rather than amateur.

3. having taken the vows of, or been received into, a religious order.

4. alleged; pretended.

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professed British  

/ prəˈfɛsɪdlɪ, prəˈfɛst /

adjective

1. avowed or acknowledged

2. alleged or pretended

3. professing to be qualified as

   a professed philosopher

4. having taken vows of a religious order

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Other Word Forms

• half-professed adjective
• nonprofessed adjective
• professedly adverb
• self-professed adjective
• unprofessed adjective

Etymology

Origin of professed

1300–50; Middle English (in religious sense) < Medieval Latin profess ( us ) (special use of Latin professus, past participle of profitērī to declare publicly, equivalent to pro- pro- ¹ + -fet-, combining form of fatērī to acknowledge + -tus past participle suffix, with tt > ss ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Filmmakers and critics fretted, reasonably, that a Netflix acquisition would kill off the moviegoing experience for good, in light of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos’ professed antipathy toward theater-exclusive releases.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

This was not a prospect that filled me with enthusiasm…Tim said Vikram would be expecting my call…When I reached him, Vikram professed to be surprised.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Self professed Traitors superfan Aideen Dunn said the Newry traitor is "doing us mummies proud".

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Many observers have professed confusion over how Good, an unarmed person, can somehow be seen as a mortal threat.

From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026

I never believed in the spirits and I never professed to be a Spiritualist.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• stated