# professionally

/pɹəˈfɛʃənəɫi/ (US) · /pɹəfˈɛʃənəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/professionally
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. as a paid career

adverb · CEFR B1

doing something as your main job for money, rather than as a hobby.

For teachers: performing an activity as one's primary vocation or for financial compensation.

- She has been playing tennis professionally for over five years.
- After years of competing as an amateur, he finally decided to play professionally and joined the national circuit.

Usage: Often follows the verb it modifies, especially with verbs like 'play', 'act', or 'train'.

### 2. with a serious attitude

adverb · CEFR B1

behaving in a way that is polite, organized, and suitable for work.

For teachers: behaving or performing a task in a manner that meets the standards, ethics, or expectations of a workplace.

- Even though the client was angry, the staff handled the situation professionally.
- The report was professionally presented, with clear data visualisations and a concise executive summary that impressed the board.

Usage: Commonly used to describe communication, behaviour, or the appearance of work products.

## Examples

- She always handles difficult customers very professionally.
- The website was professionally designed to ensure it looks trustworthy to potential clients.
- Although he had played the guitar for years as a hobby, he only began performing professionally after his debut album received unexpected critical acclaim from national reviewers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.