purport

American  

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

verb (used with object)

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

   a document purporting to be official.

2. to convey to the mind as the meaning or thing intended; express or imply.

   Synonyms:

   signify, intend, mean

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noun

1. the meaning, import, or sense.

   the main purport of your letter.

   Synonyms:

   gist, trend, drift, implication

2. purpose; intention; object.

   the main purport of their visit to France.

purport British  

verb

1. to claim (to be a certain thing, etc) by manner or appearance, esp falsely

2. (esp of speech or writing) to signify or imply

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noun

1. meaning; significance

2. purpose; object; intention

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

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

From Salon

"What has emerged, and continues to emerge, through the drip feed of the claimants' disclosure and Associated's own investigations is a clear picture of purported evidence being obtained through financial inducements and threats," he said.

From BBC

Polymarket’s backers speak glowingly about the promise of harnessing the wisdom of the crowd, arguing that people who put money on the line are more likely to be right than purported experts and biased commentators.

From The Wall Street Journal

The film, however, brushes these things under the rug, attempting to align Melania with her purported favorite cause: the health and safety of families everywhere.

From Salon

The manipulated image, which purports to show Pretti surrounded by officers as one points a gun at his head, spread rapidly across Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads.

From Barron's

Related Words

• imply
• pose as
• pretend
• profess