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
• 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

Greater understanding helps people advocate for their own health and engage more confidently with care.

From Science Daily • Jun. 21, 2026

Ramsay is an influencer and mental health advocate who launched the podcast 21 & Over in 2021.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

Catherine Geanuracos, a CicLAvia board member who was an advocate for turning the Silver Lake Reservoir into an aquatic park, joined our conversation and called the idea “eminently feasible.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026

“To be clear, I’m not an advocate for deploying party tricks at a spa and using it to guide medical advice or care,” Mehta wrote in a LinkedIn post.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026

They told us yesterday, two of our most recent lawyers; both of them have the prestigious SAN, for senior advocate of Nigeria, after their names.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

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