advocate
gb/ˈædvəkɪt/ us/ˈædvəkɪt/
B2
English
~ 7500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
publicly support a cause or person
to say strongly in public that you support a person, idea, or change, and want other people to support it too
Usage pattern:
to advocate [something] / to advocate for [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "advocate" with "advertise". "Advocate" means to support an idea or person, especially in public debate, while "advertise" means to promote a product or service for sale. Also, in formal writing, "advocate" is often used directly with an object ("advocate change"), while in everyday speech "advocate for" is very common ("advocate for change"). Both are widely used, but some style guides prefer the direct object in formal texts.
Synonyms
support (more general and less formal; does not always suggest active, public action.)
|
champion (emphasizes active, enthusiastic, and ongoing support, often in a heroic way.)
|
promote (focuses on encouraging people to accept an idea, often in a planned or strategic way.)
Antonyms
oppose (means to be against and work against an idea, person, or change.)
|
condemn (means to strongly criticize something as wrong or bad, often in public.)
Collocations
advocate for change
|advocate for reform
|advocate for human rights
|advocate for patients
|publicly advocate
|strongly advocate
Themes
politics
|society
|law
|communication
Examples
- Many doctors advocate reducing sugar intake to improve public health.
- She has spent years advocating for better working conditions in factories.
- The organization advocates equal access to education for all children.
- Several experts are advocating a different approach to climate policy.
- He publicly advocated for the release of political prisoners.
Learner examples
- The group advocates peace and non-violence.
- Students are advocating for lower tuition fees.
- She advocates for women in technology.
- They advocate a ban on plastic bags.
- He often advocates for people who have no voice.
Noun
B2
entity
2
person who actively supports something
someone who strongly supports a person, group, or idea and speaks or works for them
Usage pattern:
an advocate of [something] / an advocate for [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "advocate" (a person) with "advocacy" (the activity). Use "advocate" for a person ("She is an advocate for refugees") and "advocacy" for the act or process ("He works in refugee advocacy"). Also, both "advocate for" and "advocate of" are used, but "advocate for" is more common when talking about people or groups, and "advocate of" is slightly more common with abstract ideas or policies.
Synonyms
supporter (very general; does not always suggest active speaking or campaigning.)
|
campaigner (emphasizes organized, often long-term efforts to bring about change.)
|
proponent (more formal; common in written or academic contexts about ideas and policies.)
Antonyms
opponent (a person who is against and acts against an idea, person, or group.)
|
critic (a person who expresses negative opinions and points out problems with something.)
Collocations
a strong advocate
|a vocal advocate
|a passionate advocate
|an advocate for change
|an advocate for children
|human rights advocate
Themes
society
|politics
|law
|communication
Examples
- She is a well-known advocate for people with disabilities.
- As an advocate of open data, he pushes governments to share information freely.
- Parents have become strong advocates for safer school buildings.
- The charity trains advocates to speak up for children in court.
- Many advocates of healthier eating support higher taxes on sugary drinks.
Learner examples
- He is an advocate for animal rights.
- Many advocates of free speech joined the protest.
- Her mother is a strong advocate for her education.
- The lawyer acted as an advocate for the poor man.
- We need more advocates for clean energy.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
3
lawyer who represents clients in court
in some countries, a type of lawyer who can speak for people in high-level courts
Usage pattern:
an advocate in [a court/Scotland]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes assume that "advocate" always means any lawyer. In many English-speaking places, the common word for a lawyer is simply "lawyer" or, in some systems, "barrister" or "attorney". "Advocate" as a legal job title is specific to certain countries and legal systems, especially Scotland, South Africa, and some civil law countries.
Synonyms
barrister (the closest equivalent in England and some other countries; not identical in every legal system.)
|
counsel (formal term for a lawyer who represents a client in court; can be countable or uncountable.)
Antonyms
client (the person who hires the advocate; opposite role in the legal relationship.)
|
litigant (a person involved in a lawsuit; not a legal representative but a party to the case.)
Collocations
defence advocate
|senior advocate
|court advocate
|practising advocate
|an advocate at the bar
|instruct an advocate
Themes
law
|profession
Examples
- She qualified as an advocate in Scotland in 2015.
- The court appointed an advocate to represent the child’s interests.
- Her advocate argued that the evidence should be ruled inadmissible.
- He worked as a criminal defence advocate for more than twenty years.
- The firm instructed a senior advocate to appear in the Supreme Court.
Learner examples
- The advocate spoke for the man in court.
- In Scotland, an advocate can work in the highest courts.
- Her advocate asked the judge to hear new evidence.
- They hired an advocate to help with the case.
- The child had a special advocate in the trial.
Grammar
Dictionary form
advocate
IPA
GB/ˈædvəkɪt/
US/ˈædvəkɪt/
Syllables & stress
ad - voc - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ad)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: advocate
- Plural: advocates
Verb
- Base: advocate
- 3rd Person Singular: advocates
- Present Participle: advocating
- Past: advocated
Word family
Forms
advocates
noun
advocating
verb
advocated
verb
Core family
advocacy
noun B2
Expressions
act as an advocate for
1/ˈækt ˈæz ən ˈædvəkɪt fɚ/
fixed phrase
represent and support someone’s interests
to speak and work for another person or group, trying to protect their interests or rights
Examples
- Social workers often act as advocates for vulnerable children.
- The union will act as an advocate for employees during negotiations.
- Volunteers act as advocates for patients who cannot speak for themselves.
advocate for
1/ˈædvəkˌeɪt fɚ/
fixed phrase
support and speak for someone or something
to support a person, group, or cause and speak in public or in meetings to help them
Examples
- Many young people are advocating for stricter gun laws.
- The charity advocates for the rights of refugees.
- Doctors are advocating for better mental health services.
an advocate for
1/ən ˈædvəkɪt fɚ/
fixed phrase
supporter of a person or cause
a person who strongly supports a person, group, or cause and speaks or works for them
Examples
- She is an advocate for homeless youth.
- We need more advocates for climate action in government.
- He has been an advocate for small businesses for many years.
devil's advocate
1/dˈɛvəlz ˈædvəkɪt/
idiom
person arguing the opposite side
Someone who argues against an idea, even if they agree with it, in order to test how strong the idea is.
Examples
- Let me play devil’s advocate and ask what happens if the plan fails.
- She often acts as devil’s advocate in meetings to make sure everyone has thought about the risks.
devil's advocate
2/dˈɛvəlz ˈædvəkɪt/
idiom
person who tests ideas by arguing against them
a person who argues against an idea, not because they really disagree, but to see how strong the idea is or to help others think more deeply
Examples
- I’ll play devil’s advocate and argue that the plan might fail.
- She often acts as devil’s advocate during meetings to test our proposals.
- He took the role of devil’s advocate to help us prepare for tough questions.
play devil's advocate
1/plˈeɪ dˈɛvəlz ˈædvəkɪt/
idiom
argue against an idea to test it
to pretend to disagree with an idea, even if you agree with it, so that you and other people can test how strong the idea is
Examples
- I'm just playing devil's advocate here—what if we're wrong?
- Let me play devil’s advocate for a minute and question your assumptions.
- She played devil's advocate to see how strong his argument was.
- He likes to play devil’s advocate to make discussions more interesting.
- The lawyer played devil’s advocate to prepare her client for cross-examination.