advocate

American  

[ad-vuh-keyt, ad-vuh-kit, -keyt] / ˈæd vəˌkeɪt, ˈæd və kɪt, -ˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

advocated, advocating

1. to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.

   He advocated higher salaries for teachers.

---

verb (used without object)

advocated, advocating

1. to act as an advocate.

   a father who advocates for his disabled child.

noun

1. a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc. (usually followed byof ).

   an advocate of peace.

   Synonyms:

   backer, proponent, champion

2. a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor.

3. a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law.

   Synonyms:

   solicitor, barrister, counsel, counselor, attorney, lawyer

advocate British  

verb

1. (tr; may take a clause as object) to support or recommend publicly; plead for or speak in favour of

---

noun

1. a person who upholds or defends a cause; supporter

2. a person who intercedes on behalf of another

3. a person who pleads his client's cause in a court of law See also barrister solicitor counsellor

4. Scots law the usual word for barrister

Other Word Forms

• advocative
  adjective
• advocator
  noun
• advocatory
  adjective
• nonadvocate
  noun
• preadvocate
  verb (used with object)
• preadvocate
  noun
• readvocate
  verb (used with object)
• subadvocate
  noun
• unadvocated
  adjective
• well-advocated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of advocate

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin advocātus “legal counselor,” originally past participle of advocāre “to call to one's aid,” equivalent to ad- ad- + vocāre “to call” (akin to vōx voice ); replacing Middle English avocat, from Middle French

Explanation

An advocate (AD-və-kit) is someone who supports a cause, like an advocate for outdoor recess. Advocate (AD-və-kate) is also a verb meaning to speak in favor of, so you can advocate for that outdoor recess by urging your school to play outside! As a noun, an advocate is a person who represents another person’s interests, like a lawyer does. In fact, the word comes from the courtroom — it’s from Latin advocare, to “add” a “voice.” To advocate is to add a voice of support to a cause or person. An advocate is anyone who adds that voice by representing another person in court, or by supporting or working toward a particular course of action.

Example Sentences

Rae Huang, a minister and housing rights advocate, said if elected mayor she would immediately replace McDonnell with someone who has the “ability to really reimagine what public safety really looks like.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

We advocate staying invested to benefit from rising earnings while diversifying across the AI value chain to mitigate company-specific risks.

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

The advocate said: "He made poor decision after poor decision which has culminated in where he is now."

From BBC • May 22, 2026

One advocate of this approach is author Benny Lewis, who popularized a communicative learning approach he calls “language hacking” which focuses on the language skills needed for conversation.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Gay added, “Ashley was in foster care for nine years, and she wouldn’t have been adopted if it wasn’t for her child advocate, Mary Miller.”

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Related Words

• back
• campaign for
• defend
• encourage
• favor
• further
• justify
• press for
• promote
• propose
• push
• recommend
• support
• tout
• uphold
• urge