proponent
noun
pro·po·nent
prə-ˈpō-nənt 
ˈprō-ˌpō-
: one who argues in favor of something : advocate
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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.
Examples of proponent in a Sentence
a vocal proponent of the use of electric-powered cars
Recent Examples on the Web
Going nuclear could help the state meet that demand, its proponents argue.
—
Krisztian Elcsics, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
The entrenchment of those supply chains may have been underestimated by proponents of nearshoring and onshoring, while the impacts of higher tariffs may have been overestimated.
—Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
Despite that distinct lack of a firm commitment to raising new revenues, proponents of finding new revenue sources to replace federal healthcare cuts cheered the Assembly proposal and described it as aligned with the Senate.
—Andrew Graham
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Many of Zcash’s public proponents make a similar case to Multicoin’s Jain, arguing that Zcash is important for the emphasis on individual freedom and suspicion of centralized authority that led to cryptocurrency’s founding.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for proponent
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Krisztian Elcsics, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
The entrenchment of those supply chains may have been underestimated by proponents of nearshoring and onshoring, while the impacts of higher tariffs may have been overestimated.
—Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
Despite that distinct lack of a firm commitment to raising new revenues, proponents of finding new revenue sources to replace federal healthcare cuts cheered the Assembly proposal and described it as aligned with the Senate.
—Andrew Graham
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Many of Zcash’s public proponents make a similar case to Multicoin’s Jain, arguing that Zcash is important for the emphasis on individual freedom and suspicion of centralized authority that led to cryptocurrency’s founding.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for proponent
Cite this Entry
“Proponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proponent. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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