purportverb [ T + to infinitive ]
uk/pəˈpɔːt/us/pɝːˈpɔːrt/formalto pretend to be or to do something, especially in a way that is not easy to believe:
They purport to represent the wishes of the majority of parents at the school.
The study purports to show an increase in the incidence of the disease.
The tape recording purports to be of a conversation between the princess and a secret admirer.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Seeming and purporting to be
- apparent
- as if/though idiom
- by the look(s) of things idiom
- come
- come across
- come over
- face
- ostensible
- outward
- paper
- persona
- prima facie
- putative
- so-called
- sound
- superficial
- supposed
- supposedly
- verisimilitude
- you can't judge a book by its cover idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Faking & pretending
purportnoun [ U ]
uk/ˈpɜː.pɔːt/us/ˈpɝː.pɔːrt/formalthe general meaning of someone's words or actions:
I didn't read it all but I think the purport of the letter was that he will not be returning for at least a year.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Meaning & significance
- add
- badge
- connotation
- denotation
- drive
- hermeneutic
- hermeneutics
- how
- loaded
- mean
- meaning
- modality
- other
- pregnant
- put words in/into sb's mouth idiom
- significantly
- signification
- signify
- speak to sb idiom
- word
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