advocate

1 a person who actively supports or favors a cause Mark Twain, Noah Webster, and President Theodore Roosevelt are among past advocates of a reformed spelling system Synonyms exponent, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, expounder, espouser, friend, gospeler (or gospeller), herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knightRelated Words loyalist, partisan (also partizan), stalwart; adherent, cohort, disciple, follower; interpreter; applauder, cheerleader, encourager, fellow travelerNear Antonyms enemy, foe, rival; belittler, critic, faultfinderAntonyms adversary, antagonist, opponent

2 a person whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise about legal rights and obligations with such a strong case against him, he's going to need the best advocate that money can buy Synonyms lawyer, attorney, attorney-at-law, counsel, counselor (or counsellor), counselor-at-law, legal eagleRelated Words cocounsel; district attorney, prosecuting attorney, prosecutor, solicitor; criminal lawyer, mouthpiece [slang], public defender, trial lawyer; solicitor; jurist; lawgiver, lawmaker, legislator, solon; ambulance chaser, pettifogger, Philadelphia lawyer, shyster

to promote the interests or cause of environmentalists advocating agricultural methods designed to slow the destruction of rain forests Synonyms support, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, plump (for), plunk (for) or plonk (for)Related Words adopt, embrace, espouse; abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with); backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advance, forward, further; plug, preach, talk up; bail out, deliver, rescue, saveNear Antonyms baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down