proponent
Americannoun
-
proponents
plural
-
a person who puts forward a proposition or proposal.
-
a person who argues in favor of something; an advocate.
- Synonyms:
- enthusiast, champion, supporter
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a person who supports a cause or doctrine; adherent.
- Synonyms:
- enthusiast, champion, supporter
-
a person who propounds a legal instrument, such as a will for probate.
noun
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a person who argues in favour of something
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law a person who seeks probate of a will
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of proponent
First recorded in 1580–90, proponent is from the Latin word prōpōnent- (stem of prōpōnēns ). See propone, -ent
Explanation
Proponent means someone who is in favor of something. You might be a proponent of longer vacations, but your parents are proponents of a longer school year. If you’re in favor of long school vacations, you’re pro or "for" long vacations. The prefix pro- also carries the meaning of “forward,” “ahead,” or “before.” All of these senses are at work in proponent: someone who suggests (puts forward) an idea or who is in favor of an idea. A proponent proposes an idea or advocates for a proposal or a proposition.
Vocabulary lists containing proponent
Power Prefix: pro
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Grade 9, List 4
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Vocabulary from the Third and Final Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“This measure is a safety net for news outlets on the verge of closure,” said former state Sen. Steve Glazer, who is a proponent of the bill and during his Senate term pushed similar legislation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
“I still think that market moves on the back of this speech could fade quickly if the economic data does not swing hawkish, because Warsh is not a proponent of forward guidance,” she told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a staunch proponent of open-weight tools, has been among the executives discussing AI oversight with the White House in recent weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
He was a strong proponent of US support for Ukraine.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
But it was Thomas Henry Huxley who was Charles’s biggest proponent.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
The benefits of space-based data centers, proponents say, are that companies can avoid regulatory red tape and community backlash.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Alternative-discipline proponents stress that restorative justice means school officials must no longer deliver consequences to misbehaving students; instead, they must explore restoration with them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
And they’ve gotten smarter than the used-gum, spit-cup abstinence proponents of my youth.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
Inverter systems can cost thousands of dollars -- not dissimilar to petrol generators depending on the size -- but proponents say running costs are lower in the long run.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Even Darwin, among the strongest original proponents of the fundamental mutability of nature, would have found this rate of mutation surprising.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
