purport
verb (used with object)
to present, especially deliberately, the appearance of being; profess or claim, often falsely.
was purporting
-
past progressiveof purport.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“This caused me to start thinking,” he told the police, “that Delmaro wasn’t everything she was purporting to be.”
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 18, 2015
When he realized who the caller was purporting to be, he put the voice on speaker for his dinner guests.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2011
The use of the eye witness narrator and the soldier narrator are recurring devices which Defoe used to protect himself or his sources and to add weight to what he was purporting to be factual.
From A Short Narrative of the Life and Actions of His Grace John, D. of Marlborogh by Daniel Defoe
Now he was purporting to send Pancha Lopez a third floral tribute and with it reveal his identity.
From Treasure and Trouble Therewith A Tale of California by Geraldine Bonner
I was purporting to send off a herald tomorrow to ask at what sum he held you; and now you appear in flesh and blood before us!
From St. George for England by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
