advocate

1 of 2

noun

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-kət  -ˌkāt 

1

: one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal

an advocate of liberal arts education

2

: 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

3

: one who pleads the cause of another

specifically : one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court

advocate

2 of 2

verb

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-ˌkāt 

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

intransitive verb

: to act as advocate for someone or something

… a tradition of advocating for the equality and civil rights of all people …

—Fred Kuhr

advocation

ˌad-və-ˈkā-shən 

noun

advocative

ˈad-və-ˌkā-tiv 

adjective

Its mission is now more advocative—to represent business interests on local, state and national issues that affect the Southland.

—Nancy Yoshihara

advocator

ˈad-və-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

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 (it dates back to at least the early 16th century), 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.

Synonyms

Noun

• advocator
• apostle
• backer
• booster
• champion
• espouser
• exponent
• expounder
• friend
• gospeler
• gospeller
• herald
• hierophant
• high priest
• paladin
• promoter
• proponent
• protagonist
• supporter
• true believer
• tub-thumper
• white knight

Verb

• back
• champion
• endorse
• indorse
• patronize
• plump (for)
• plunk (for)
• plonk (for)
• support

Choose the Right Synonym for advocate

support, uphold, advocate, back, champion mean to favor actively one that meets opposition.

support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

Examples of advocate in a Sentence

Noun

… 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.

Verb

… 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 on the Web

Noun

Early childhood education advocates say the most notable legislation that came forward this session is the $100 million earmarked within the state budget for child care scholarships, also known as subsidies. —Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2025

Hunter and other advocates urged support for H.R. 40 recently re-introduced by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, both Democrats. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 20 June 2025

Verb

Ward's responsibilities will focus on enhancing market access, advocating for trade policies that benefit U.S. agriculture and developing international partnerships to promote the region's diverse agricultural products. —Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025

While some lawmakers advocated for the move, others — including some of the president’s most vocal supporters on the right-flank — pushed against the U.S. directly getting involved in the conflict. —Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 22 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English avocat, advocat, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin advocātus, noun derivative from past participle of advocāre "to summon, call to one's aid," from ad- ad- + vocāre "to call" — more at vocation

Verb

derivative of advocate entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing advocate

• devil's advocate
• judge advocate
• judge advocate general

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

advocate

1 of 2 noun

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-kət 

-ˌkāt

1

: a person who argues for the cause of another especially in a court of law

2

: a person who argues for, recommends, or supports a cause or policy

advocate

2 of 2 verb

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-ˌkāt 

advocated; advocating

: to speak in favor of : argue for

Etymology

Noun

Middle English advocat "one that pleads a case for another (in court)," from early French advocat (same meaning), from Latin advocatus (same meaning), derived from advocare "to call to one's aid, summon," from ad- "to, toward, near" and vocare "to call" — related to provoke, revoke, vocation

Legal Definition

advocate

1 of 2 noun

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-kət, -ˌkāt 

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

advocate

2 of 2 verb

ad·​vo·​cate ˈad-və-ˌkāt 

advocated; advocating

transitive verb

: to argue in favor of

intransitive verb

: to act as an advocate

shall advocate for minority business

—V. M. Rivera

Etymology

Noun

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