profess
verb
practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about
“She professes organic chemistry”
confess one's faith in, or allegiance to
“The terrorists professed allegiance to their country”
“he professes to be a Communist”
admit (to a wrongdoing)
“She confessed that she had taken the money”
state freely
“The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades”
receive into a religious order or congregation
take vows, as in religious order
“she professed herself as a nun”
state insincerely
“He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt”
“She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber”
Synonymspretend
Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University