The word "pro fess" means to declare openly or state a belief in something. Its antonyms, on the other hand, mean the opposite. Words like "deny, reject, contradict, disavow or disclaim" go against the idea of professing. Deny implies a refusal to acknowledge or accept something. Reject means to refuse to consider or accept something. Contradict means to go against something that has been said or done. Disavow is to deny responsibility for something you once claimed. While disclaim means to publicly state that you have nothing to do with something. All these antonyms make it clear that "to profess" is to stand behind something, while its antonyms indicate an attitude of opposition or distance.
