professes
Declares to believe
Professes is the third-person singular of profess, meaning to declare or claim something openly.
When someone professes love or loyalty, they state it publicly: He professes devotion to his family.
The word often carries a hint of doubt about sincerity—what someone professes may differ from what they truly believe or do: She professes ignorance, but I suspect she knows more than she's letting on.
In academic contexts, to profess is to teach as a professor.
States openly and firmly
- assertsStates as true
- avowsDeclares to be true
- proclaimsAnnounces officially or publicly
- announcesStates openly to many
states · maintains · contends · alleges · insists · affirms · pronounces · espouses
Acts falsely
- purportsClaims, often dubiously
- feignsPretends to feel
- affectsProduces change in
- simulatesArtificially replicates behavior
puts on · dissembles · masquerades · poses · fakes · shams · bluffs · misrepresents
Regards as true
- embracesHolds lovingly, or adopts
- confessesAcknowledges wrongdoing openly
- holdsKeeps in possession
- espousesPublicly adopts or supports
witnesses · testifies · converts · devotes · worships · practices · follows · observes
declares
States openly and firmly
announces · states · maintains · contends · alleges · insists · affirms · announces · pronounces · espouses
pretends
Acts falsely
simulates · puts on · dissembles · masquerades · poses · fakes · shams · bluffs · misrepresents
believes
Regards as true
espouses · witnesses · testifies · converts · devotes · worships · practices · follows · observes · vows
vows
Solemn binding promises
promises · guarantees · dedicates · devotes · covenants · undertakes · assures · attests · certifies
teaches
Gives lessons to others
- instructsImparts knowledge or orders
- lecturesFormal instructional talks
- tutorsPrivate academic helpers
mentors · educates · specializes · practices · academic · scholarly · faculty · doctorate
professesconceals
Keeps from being seen
hides · withholds · suppresses · masks · disguises
- professional writingFormal workplace text production
- Harvard professorEducator at elite university
- visiting professorsTemporary teaching scholars elsewhere based
- professor emeritusRetired faculty with honor
- professional sportsPaid competitive athletic leagues
- professional organizationsGroups for career practitioners
professor, professional, profession, professionalism, profess, professors, professed, unprofessional, nonprofessional