Word
purport
Phoneticspur·port, stress on the first syllable
/ˈpɝˌpɔɹt/
Definition
v. to claim to be something or to do something, especially when it may not be true.
v. to claim or profess to be, do, or represent something, often implying doubt about the truth of the claim.
Examples
“He purports to be an expert in antique furniture.”
“The email purports to come from your bank and asks you to click a link.”
“The memoir purports to offer an insider account of the negotiations, though historians question how much the author actually witnessed.”
Examples
simple
“He purports to be an expert in antique furniture.”
contextual
“The email purports to come from your bank and asks you to click a link.”
complex
“The memoir purports to offer an insider account of the negotiations, though historians question how much the author actually witnessed.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “purport” in context.
Verb
01. be purported
“The letter is purported to have been written by the president himself.”
aux + verb
02. document purports
“The leaked document purports to list offshore payments to officials.”
noun + verb
03. purport to be
“The group purports to be a charity helping homeless families.”
verb + to-infinitive
04. purport to represent
“The party purports to represent working-class voters across the region.”
verb + to-infinitive
05. purport to reveal
“The book purports to reveal secret negotiations behind the treaty.”
verb + to-infinitive
06. purport to show
“The video purports to show a rare snow leopard in the wild.”
verb + to-infinitive
07. report purports
“The report purports to explain the sudden rise in energy prices.”
noun + verb
08. be purported to have links
“The company is purported to have links to organized crime.”
09. document purports to show
“The document purports to show payments made to senior officials.”
10. purport to be an expert
“He purports to be an expert on cybersecurity, but has no qualifications.”
11. purport to represent the public
“The movement purports to represent the public, yet few support it.”
12. purport to tell the truth
“The memoir purports to tell the truth about her years in politics.”
Usage
Typically followed by a to-infinitive, as in 'purport to be' or 'purport to show'.
Real-World Examples
“The Trump administration, however, has taken an aggressive approach to online platforms purporting to contain information about ICE employees and other agents involved in immigration operations.” “It purports to charge Mr Comey with crimes he did not commit,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.” Etymology
From Middle English purporten, from Anglo-Norman purporter and Old French porporter (“convey, contain, carry”), from pur-, from Latin pro (“forth”) + Old French porter (“carry”), from Latin portō (“carry”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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