advocate 1 of 2

advocate

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word advocate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of advocate are back, champion, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

When is it sensible to use back instead of advocate?

Although the words back and advocate have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of advocate?

In some situations, the words champion and advocate are roughly equivalent. However, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is support a more appropriate choice than advocate?

The synonyms support and advocate are sometimes interchangeable, but support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

Where would uphold be a reasonable alternative to advocate?

While the synonyms uphold and advocate are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of advocate
Noun
Instead, parental leave should be bargained through teacher union negotiations, said Dorothy Johnson, legislative advocate for the Assn. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025 His return to power has reignited a dangerous blend of right-wing ideology and state-sanctioned bigotry, one no longer confined within America’s borders, as LGBTQ+ advocates in Africa tell Them. Daniel Anthony, Them., 15 May 2025
Verb
The non-profit organization, which advocates for writers and free speech, hosted their annual gala on May 15 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 16 May 2025 Fox received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his work advocating for Parkinson's research. Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for advocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for advocate
Noun
  • California’s Democratic leaders, including Newsom and top state lawmakers, have been major proponents of transitioning to renewable energy and imposing more restrictions on the state’s oil and gas industry.
    Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025
  • Leo was a staunch proponent of church orthodoxy, helping guide the early church on tenets including the dual nature of Christ and the idea of papal infallibility.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Hope all lawyers at Paul Weiss of conviction join them.
    Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
  • The lawyer for Yunice Abbas, one of the defendants who was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison, with five suspended, also welcomed the verdict.
    Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • During a news conference before the vote, Mayor Melvin Carter voiced his support for the new names, which were recommended by Minnesota’s Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and endorsed by the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Commission.
    Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 22 May 2025
  • Trump recounted his political alliance with Kennedy, a former Democrat and the nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy, who dropped his longshot independent campaign for president and endorsed the GOP candidate.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Jordan Klepper has spent more time following Donald Trump around the country than many of his most ardent supporters.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 15 May 2025
  • That is undeniable, and so too is the fact that Dan Ndoye and his Bologna team-mates will forever be heroes to Bologna supporters.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The review aims to ensure that U.S. attorneys in 94 offices nationwide share equal responsibility with headquarters officials in choosing whether to pursue public corruption cases, according to a department official speaking on background.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 20 May 2025
  • In response, the NCAA and athletes’ attorneys softened roster limits by adding a grandfathering provision that allows colleges to keep current players and recruits on a roster who would otherwise have been cut due to roster limits.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • But Andrea Jenkins, who represents the area and supports the city's plan, said residents around the square want vehicle traffic.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 25 May 2025
  • Amanda Hollins: With 15 years in law enforcement, Hollins’s vision for Kennedale includes strengthening community infrastructure, supporting local businesses, enhancing organizational efficiency, empowering future leaders, and advocating for ethical leadership.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • Finding Wiggle Room There is no fast, general purpose method for finding the minima of functions raised to high exponents.
    Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
  • That would have given him more complicated Taylor approximations, with exponents greater than 2.
    Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Advocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/advocate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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