proponent

noun

pro·​po·​nent prə-ˈpō-nənt 

ˈprō-ˌpō-

: one who argues in favor of something : advocate

Did you know?

Proponent comes from the same Latin word as propose, so a proponent is someone who proposes something, or at least supports it by speaking and writing in favor of it. Thus, for example, proponents of casinos argue that they create jobs, whereas proponents of a casino ban—that is, casino opponents—argue that they're corrupting and they take money away from people who can't afford it. As a rule, just about anything important that gets proposed also gets opposed.

Synonyms of proponent

• advocate
• supporter
• advocator
• exponent

Examples of proponent in a Sentence

a vocal proponent of the use of electric-powered cars

Recent Examples on the Web

But the two bills Newsom vetoed on Wednesday, AB 1881 and AB 2218, sought to redress those historic wrongs by requiring the state to take Indigenous history with land and waterways into account, proponents of them said. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

To backfill some of the loss in research funding, proponents say Proposition 38 will create a stable source of funding for scientists and medical experts. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

The president has reworked Russia’s economy and political system around the conflict, channeling investment into weapons factories and making loud proponents of the war central figures in the country’s government. — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

This week has been rough for proponents of New York City’s pied-à-terre tax. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin proponent-, proponens, present participle of proponere

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for proponent

• component
• deponent
• exponent
• opponent
• multicomponent
• ponent

Kids Definition

proponent

noun

pro·​po·​nent prə-ˈpō-nənt 

ˈprō-ˌpō-nənt

: one who argues in favor of something

a proponent of recycling

Legal Definition

proponent

noun

pro·​po·​nent prə-ˈpō-nənt 

1

: one who argues in favor of something

2

: one who offers a will for probate