professional
adjective
pro·fes·sion·al
| \ prə-ˈfesh-nəl
, -ˈfe-shə-nᵊl\
, -ˈfe-shə-nᵊl\
Definition of professional
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession
b
: engaged in one of the learned professions
c(1)
: characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession
(2)
: exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2a
: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs
a professional golfer
b
: having a particular profession as a permanent career
a professional soldier
c
: engaged in by persons receiving financial return
professional football
3
: following a line of conduct as though it were a profession
a professional patriot
professional
nounDefinition of professional (Entry 2 of 2)
: one that is professional
especially
: one that engages in a pursuit or activity professionally
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Examples of professional in a Sentence
Adjective
Do you have any professional experience? You should seek professional advice. a golfer who recently turned professional I was impressed by the calm and professional way she handled the crisis. The presentation was very professional.Noun
The bathtub was installed by a professional. The tournament is open to both amateurs and professionals. a golfer who recently became a professional She handled the situation like a professional.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Dennis Kwok, a pro-democracy politician and barrister who represents the legal constituency in LegCo, notes that particular controversy surrounds elections within professional bodies that allow for proxy voting. — The Economist, "China is using Kublai Khan’s methods to quell protests in Hong Kong," 31 Aug. 2019 If that’s not available to you, try talking to a professional such as an addiction counselor. — Joel Lewin, Quartz at Work, "How to talk to your employer about your addiction," 28 Aug. 2019 What came next was preparation for being away from his parents as a professional, most of which overlapped with his father’s early treatments. — Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles prospect Adam Hall’s standout season comes as his father fights cancer: ‘I don’t know how he does what he does’," 26 Aug. 2019 Imagine a professional who has the special training and has spent the time familiarizing themselves with the data on Trump trying to defend their decision to stay silent ten years from now. — James Fallows, The Atlantic, "On Trump and Queeg: A Followup," 25 Aug. 2019 The survey also said that 20% of open positions in 2018 were not filled by a qualified professional or just not filled at all, leading to 225 classes being canceled. — Jason Silverstein, CBS News, "Illinois increases minimum teacher salaries across the state," 22 Aug. 2019 While there are no cures for such disabilities as autism, Down Syndrome, and cerebral palsy, SMSC helps people with cognitive disorders achieve personal and professional fulfillment. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Haute with Heart," 21 Aug. 2019 Our professional and personal successes are the byproduct of a series of failures and the grace of those who had faith in our trajectory of growth and evolution, despite our shortcomings. — Aimee Groth, Quartz, "Andrew Yang’s basic income plan permits Americans to fail. And that’s a good thing," 20 Aug. 2019 At first, Tobias’s interest in the group was professional. — Sean Williams, Harper's magazine, "The Black Axe," 19 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Before audiences young and old, working with professionals and students, Alsop shows passion, verve and commitment. — Chris Kaltenbach, baltimoresun.com, "BSO music director Marin Alsop to be featured in documentary," 29 Aug. 2019 The post is now selected by a group of about 1,200 prominent professionals and members of the Legislative Council, most of whom are loyal to China. — Josefin Dolsten, sun-sentinel.com, "Why most Jews in Hong Kong are not involved with the protests," 27 Aug. 2019 For Williams, the 2018-19 season was more of a learning experience off the floor, about life as a professional and grown man. — Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, "How a tattoo is a sign of Robert Williams’s maturation process heading into Celtics’ season," 26 Aug. 2019 Urban professionals and Russia’s liberal opposition, including anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny, have thus far seemed unable to forge connections with the broader masses of Russians, or even Muscovites. — The Christian Science Monitor, "Encircling the interrupters with civility," 23 Aug. 2019 Each team at the survivor reunion, from EMS and firefighters to cath lab professionals and ER staff, received a plaque honoring their life-saving contributions. — Chevall Pryce, Houston Chronicle, "Tomball heart attack survivors reunite with staff that saved their lives," 20 Aug. 2019 Now based in Montana, the group organizes 60 retreats annually nationwide with the help of more than 1,600 volunteers, whose ranks include anglers, health care and psycho-social professionals and past participants. — Loretta Waldman, courant.com, "Casting for Recovery: Fly-fishing retreats for breast cancer survivors," 20 Aug. 2019 Must-Read Bozak was at DU on Monday for Day 1 of the Pioneers’ weeklong annual pro camp where local professionals and former and current Pios train at Magness Arena. — Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, "Broncos vs. 49ers: A roundup from Monday’s NFL preseason game," 20 Aug. 2019 Participants interact with community leaders, industry professionals and volunteer groups, and will get a glimpse of the town from the inside out while strengthening their leadership skills. — Debby Rice, The Mercury News, "Summer potpourri in the West Valley," 18 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'professional.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for professional
professional
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of professional
(Entry 1 of 2)
: relating to a job that requires special education, training, or skill
: done or given by a person who works in a particular profession
: paid to participate in a sport or activity
professional
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of professional (Entry 2 of 2)
: someone who does a job that requires special training, education, or skill : someone who is a member of a profession
: someone who is paid to participate in a sport or activity
: someone who has a lot of experience or skill in a particular job or activity
See the full definition for professional in the English Language Learners Dictionary
professional
adjective
pro·fes·sion·al
| \ prə-ˈfe-shə-nᵊl
\
\
Kids Definition of professional
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: relating to an occupation : of or as an expert
professional advice
2
: taking part in an activity (as a sport) in order to make money
3
: participated in by people who are paid to compete
professional sports
4
: having or showing a quality appropriate in a profession
He did a very professional job.