Definition of advocate
1 : one who pleads the cause of another; specifically : one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court
2 : one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal an advocate of liberal arts education
3 : one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group a consumer advocate an advocate for women's health He has paid respectful attention to the home schooling movement by meeting with its advocates and endorsing their cause. — Elizabeth Drew
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Examples of advocate in a Sentence
… two of nanotechnology's biggest advocates square off on a fundamental question that will dramatically affect the future development of this field. —K. Eric Drexler et al., Chemical & Engineering News, 1 Dec. 2003
Ms. Hart was familiar with local medical-review policies from her work as a patient advocate. —Laurie McGinley, Wall Street Journal, 16 Sept. 2003
a passionate advocate of civil rights
She works as a consumer advocate.
Recent Examples of advocate from the Web
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Despite all that, more Americans are dying on roads and highways than in years, and the sudden and sharp increase has alarmed safety advocates.
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But such compassionate intervention is exceptional — and would be unnecessary, Roma advocates say, if the state and local authorities lowered the barriers to public education for the Roma.
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An estimated 17,000 apartments have now been turned into accommodations for tourists, advocates for reform say, and this has led to a residence shortage—and some of the highest rents in the country.
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Betsy DeVos, Mr. Trump's pick for education secretary, is an advocate for moving public money into private charter schools.
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The stealthy burial enraged democracy advocates and sparked protests in Manila and other cities.
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Such a move would also be subject to lawsuits by environmental advocates, which would further drag out the process.
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Federal regulators voted last week to limit how Internet providers can use your data, in a victory for privacy advocates.
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The report sparked criticism from some lawmakers and privacy advocates.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'advocate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of advocate
Middle English advocat, from Anglo-French, from Latin advocatus, from past participle of advocare to summon, from ad- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice
First Known Use: 14th century
Definition of advocate
advocated
;advocating
transitive verb
: to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.) : to plead in favor of They advocated a return to traditional teaching methods. a group that advocates vegetarianism
Examples of advocate in a Sentence
… it makes sense to commence with … a good medium-weight Chardonnay for the wine aficionados. I advocate one with a little oak and lots of fruit … —Anthony Dias Blue, Bon Appétit, November 1997
He advocated the creation of a public promenade along the sea, with arbors and little green tables for the consumption of beer … —Henry James, The American, 1877
He advocates traditional teaching methods.
The plan is advocated by the president.
Recent Examples of advocate from the Web
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Passengers weren't the only ones advocating for a full-on ban.
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That’s what my presidential campaign is advocating for.
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Now a wide range of groups that advocate for women are trying to capitalize on the momentum to turn an event into a sustained movement.
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After years of advocating from California lawmakers, President Obama on Thursday expanded the California Coastal National Monument.
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In 2015, advocates working with the Safe Patient Project petitioned California’s medical board to require patient notification before every office visit.
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Bennett vowed to advocate for online voter registration.
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Steve Owings, president and co-founder of Road Safe America, a nonprofit group that advocates for truck safety, said the mandate was long overdue.
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Mr. Leung, 30, a founder of the political group Youngspiration who advocates independence for the former British colony, then read the official text of the oath, as required by law.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'advocate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Benjamin Franklin Wasn't a Fan of Advocate
Benjamin Franklin may have been a great innovator in science and politics, but on the subject of advocate, he was against change. In 1789, he wrote a letter to his compatriot Noah Webster complaining about a "new word": the verb advocate. Like others of his day, Franklin knew advocate primarily as a noun meaning "one who pleads the cause of another," and he urged Webster to condemn the verb's use. In truth, the verb wasn't as new as Franklin assumed (etymologists have traced it back to 1599), though it was apparently surging in popularity in his day. Webster evidently did not heed Franklin's plea. His famous 1828 dictionary, An American Dictionary of the English Language, entered both the noun and the verb senses of advocate.
Origin and Etymology of advocate
see 1advocate
First Known Use: 1599
Synonym Discussion of advocate
ADVOCATE Defined for English Language Learners
advocate
playDefinition of advocate for English Language Learners
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: a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy
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: a person who works for a cause or group
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: a person who argues for the cause of another person in a court of law
ADVOCATE Defined for Kids
Definition of advocate for Students
1 : a person who argues for or supports an idea or plan peace advocates
2 : a person who argues for another especially in court
Definition of advocate for Students
advocated
;advocating
: to speak in favor of : argue for advocate change
Law Dictionary
Legal Definition of advocate
1 : a person (as a lawyer) who works and argues in support of another's cause especially in court
2 : a person or group that defends or maintains a cause or proposal a consumer advocate
Origin and Etymology of advocate
Latin advocatus adviser to a party in a lawsuit, counselor, from past participle of advocare to summon, employ as counsel, from ad to + vocare to call
Legal Definition of advocate
advocated
advocating
transitive verb
intransitive verb
Learn More about advocate
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See words that rhyme with advocate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for advocate Spanish Central: Translation of advocate Nglish: Translation of advocate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of advocate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about advocate
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