ADVOCATE Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'advocate' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of advocate are back , champion , support , and uphold . While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," advocate stresses urging or pleading. // advocated prison reform

Q: When is it sensible to use 'back' instead of 'advocate'?

Although the words back and advocate have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling. // refusing to back the call for sanctions

Q: When can 'champion' be used instead of 'advocate'?

In some situations, the words champion and advocate are roughly equivalent. However, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause. // championed the rights of children

Q: When is 'support' a more appropriate choice than 'advocate'?

The synonyms support and advocate are sometimes interchangeable, but support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given. // supports waterfront development

Q: Where would 'uphold' be a reasonable alternative to 'advocate'?

While the synonyms uphold and advocate are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. // upheld the legitimacy of the military action

advocate 1 of 2

noun

ˈad-və-kət

Definition of advocate

as in proponent

a person who actively supports or favors a cause Mark Twain, Noah Webster, and President Theodore Roosevelt are among past advocates of a reformed spelling system

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lawyer

a person whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise about legal rights and obligations with such a strong case against him, he's going to need the best advocate that money can buy

Synonyms & Similar Words

advocate

2 of 2

verb

ˈad-və-ˌkāt

as in to endorse

to promote the interests or cause of environmentalists advocating agricultural methods designed to slow the destruction of rain forests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word advocate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of advocate are back, champion, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

When is it sensible to use back instead of advocate?

Although the words back and advocate have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of advocate?

In some situations, the words champion and advocate are roughly equivalent. However, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is support a more appropriate choice than advocate?

The synonyms support and advocate are sometimes interchangeable, but support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

Where would uphold be a reasonable alternative to advocate?

While the synonyms uphold and advocate are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of advocate

Noun

For eight years, the group rallied city officials, politicians and advocates to petition the National Park Service and the city of Philadelphia to build a slavery memorial at the President's House. — Deena Zaru, ABC News, 4 July 2026 Another cycling advocate, Jordan Moldow, earned the Climate Smart Mobility Champion title. — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 July 2026

Verb

And at the same time, Google is planning to lock down app distribution on Android with developer verification, which advocates for open source projects characterize as a serious threat. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 The administration also cracked down on student protesters in 2025 for advocating on behalf of Palestinians during the war in Gaza. — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for advocate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for advocate

Noun

Stream-access proponents took a similar approach in 2010, after a landowner on the Taylor River strung cables from bank to bank to keep a rafting company from floating down.

— Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
There isn't time for proponents to get a new measure on this year's ballot and state law requires any measures brought in odd years be limited to questions related to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).

— Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Definition of proponent

Noun

The justices, too, seemed eager to embrace electronic recording in cases where no court reporter is available and litigants cannot afford to pay for one on their own, repeatedly pressing lawyers on exactly how such a ruling might be written.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Attorneys and the judge prepared the jury charge, which contains the instructions for the panel’s deliberations, and the lawyers made their closing arguments on Monday afternoon.

— Star-Telegram staff. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026

Definition of lawyer

Verb

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who has backed DeSantis at some key moments but also clashed with the governor, also endorsed Donalds last week.

— Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
In December, an FDA panel endorsed TRT for men with low levels and related symptoms.

— Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 July 2026

Definition of endorse

Noun

To his supporters, Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the steadfast, fearless leader who transcended mere politics and inspired devotion.

— Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Hundreds of supporters gathered to cheer her arrival after nearly a month and a half at sea.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of supporter

Noun

News cameras will be allowed to record and broadcast much of the hearing, the judge ruled last week over the objections of Robinson’s attorneys.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
The crucial pretrial hearing was pushed back as prosecutors and defense attorneys sparred over what evidence could be presented and if cameras would be allowed in the courtroom.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of attorney

Verb

During a 2019-20 artist residency with New York City’s Department of Records and Information Services, Weist mined municipal archives for records revealing how city government had defined, supported and monitored past artists.

— Rhoda Feng, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Developed by L3Harris Technologies under the Combat Mission Systems Support framework, the system will be operated by the command's Space Delta 3 (DEL 3) – Space Electromagnetic Warfare, with acquisition and sustainment supported by System Delta 89.

— David Szondy July 06, New Atlas, 7 July 2026

Definition of support

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advisory

advocate

advocated

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“Advocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/advocate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of advocate

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verb

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