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, despite what its proponents assert, these systems cannot be well-measured individually. —Big Think, 21 Apr. 2026

Rogan, an outspoken proponent of ibogaine who was present at the signing, has repeatedly described it as capable of interrupting addiction in a single experience, particularly for veterans. —Dimitri Mugianis, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026

Schwartz is also a proponent of vaccines, which used to be a given for one of the country’s highest public health leaders but isn’t anymore. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Apr. 2026

But proponents see the redistricting push in Virginia as a necessary reaction after Republicans launched similar actions in states like Texas, North Carolina and Missouri. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Apr. 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