advocate

American  

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

verb (used with object)

advocates, present (3rd person singular) advocated, past participle, past advocating present participle

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

   He advocated higher salaries for teachers.

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verb (used without object)

advocates, present (3rd person singular) advocated, past participle, past advocating present participle

1. to act as an advocate.

   a father who advocates for his disabled child.

noun

advocates plural

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

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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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• advocates
  plural

Participles

• advocating
  present
• advocated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• advocate
  simple
• advocates
  simple
• have advocated
  perfect
• has advocated
  perfect
• am advocating
  progressive
• are advocating
  progressive
• is advocating
  progressive
• have been advocating
  perfect progressive
• has been advocating
  perfect progressive

Past

• advocated
  simple
• had advocated
  perfect
• was advocating
  progressive
• were advocating
  progressive
• had been advocating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will advocate
  simple
• will have advocated
  perfect
• will be advocating
  progressive
• will have been advocating
  perfect progressive

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

See Examples For:

advocate advocates advocated advocating

A group of 18 people who work in the entertainment industry, including actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natasha Lyonne, launched a coalition that aims to advocate for the rights of creators amid AI’s boom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

In a statement, the council said it had engaged with the relevant statutory agencies to look at how overdose prevention facilities operated elsewhere and would "continue to advocate for evidence-based, long-term solutions".

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Another maramaba noblewoman Tamu Rambu Margaretha -- widely known as Mama Margaretha -- has long sought to loosen the bonds of slavery in her village of Prailiu, even travelling to Jakarta to advocate emancipation.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Supporters of Fedorov, the 35-year-old advocate of Ukraine’s drone program, hail his championing of technology that has helped halt some Russian advances and his implementation of digital tenders in an effort to cut corruption.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Among them was Sargent Prentiss Freeling, a former Oklahoma attorney general and a staunch advocate of states’ rights.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Common Cause advocates for a ban on stock trading among members of Congress, who are currently required to disclose stock activity but are not banned from trading.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

One forces prescribers to register with the manufacturer -- creating a national database that advocates say could pose a safety risk for doctors.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Immigrant rights advocates called those claims “a fiction.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

"At Cricket NSW, we are strong advocates for safe driving, not drink-driving," he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

This is tempting bait, to put it mildly, but racial justice advocates should not take it.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

In recent years, Ledward has advocated for colon cancer awareness and spoken at multiple events.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

But the assertion of tolls, however briefly advocated, is more telling.

From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026

This is a reverse of what was going on last year when he had advocated for rate cuts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Bunnie, on the other hand, said she had been willing to put the work in, noting that she had advocated for them to attend couple’s therapy together.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 4, 2026

But for the rest of her life she advocated small weddings in ordinary clothes.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

For years, the largest AI companies have been trying to get ahead of things, advocating proactively for regulations to place guardrails around the powerful technology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Click said the group was advocating for legislation that reduces wildfire risk, expands access to affordable property insurance and ensures quick compensation to victims.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But it is Burnham who is now prime minister and has to set out, as he put it in his first speech in Downing Street, "how we pay for" the policies they are advocating.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Kreko noted that Polgar had international experience, having met dozens of world leaders in past decades while advocating for chess, talent development and education.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Also I beg you to buy those necessary supplies I took the liberty of advocating, as I would like you to begin using oils as soon as possible.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

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