professed

IPA/prəˈfest/
KK[prəfˈɛst]IPA/prəˈfest/

professed — adjective

  • professedpositive
  • more professedcomparative
  • most professedsuperlative

1. describing a belief, opinion, or intention that someone has openly stated and ge

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a belief, opinion, or intention that someone has openly stated and genuinely holds

例句

Professor Okonkwo is a professed supporter of equal education for all children.

professed + noun (supporter, belief, goal)

Despite pressure from her religious family, Meera remained a professed atheist.

同義詞
  • declared

    more neutral; simply says something was stated, not necessarily with strong personal conviction

  • avowed

    slightly more formal; often suggests an openly admitted personal position or habit

  • acknowledged

    focuses on recognition by others rather than self-declaration

反義詞

文法句型

professed + noun (belief, goal, supporter)

用法筆記

Only the attributive position (before a noun). Not used after a linking verb (❌ 'he is professed').

常見錯誤

❌He is professed to like classical music.
✅He is a professed fan of classical music.
💡'professed' goes before the noun it describes, not in a passive verb structure.

2. describing a feeling, attitude, or belief that someone claims to have but probab

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a feeling, attitude, or belief that someone claims to have but probably does not truly feel

例句

Nadia doubted the sincerity of her boss's professed concern for staff well-being.

professed + noun (concern, love, enthusiasm) — often in context of doubt

The senator's professed love for the working class did not match his voting record.

同義詞
  • so-called

    more dismissive; directly questions the legitimacy of the claim

  • supposed

    weaker doubt; can simply mean 'believed by others without confirmation'

  • claimed

    neutral; states the claim without judgment about truth

反義詞
  • genuine

    truly felt, not just claimed

  • sincere

    honestly expressed without deception

  • heartfelt

    emphasizes deep emotional truth

文法句型

professed + noun (feeling, attitude, concern)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (SINCERELY DECLARED). In this sense the context almost always signals doubt or contradiction — look for words like 'but', 'however', 'yet', or a mismatch between words and actions in surrounding sentences.

常見錯誤

❌His professed belief in equality was sincere.
✅His professed belief in equality was insincere
💡he voted against fair housing.' — when the context does not signal doubt, readers interpret 'professed' as sense 1 (sincere). Add a contradiction to activate sense 2.

3. describing someone who claims to have a particular skill, qualification, or stat

3.形容詞C1
釋義

describing someone who claims to have a particular skill, qualification, or status without proof that it is genuine

例句

The company hired a professed expert in cybersecurity who could not fix a simple virus.

professed + noun (expert, specialist) — skill claim without proof

A professed wine specialist, Kwame failed a blind taste test.

同義詞
  • self-styled

    stronger disapproval; implies the person gave themselves a label without authority

  • would-be

    focuses on aspiration; suggests the person wants to be something but is not yet accepted

  • so-called

    casts doubt on the legitimacy of the title

反義詞
  • certified

    has official proof of qualification

  • qualified

    meets the required standards through training or experience

  • proven

    demonstrated ability, not just claimed

文法句型

professed + noun (expert, specialist, genius)

用法筆記

Closer to sense 2 (INSINCERE) than sense 1, but specifically targets claimed expertise or status rather than feelings. Unlike sense 2, the person may actually believe their own claim — the doubt lies with the speaker, not necessarily the person's sincerity.

常見錯誤

❌He is a professed artist.' (unclear which sense)
✅He is a professed art expert with no formal training.
💡specify the claimed skill or status so readers understand this is about expertise, not a declared belief.