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 next

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 While Roblox enjoys seemingly cozy relations with the president, child safety advocates want his administration to investigate the company, and state governments are taking it to court. —

Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026

Verb

Davidson is one of several parents who are a part of a local movement to advocate for more regulation and restrictions on using technology in classrooms. —

Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 While Larson employs Enrolled Agents (EAs) and tax attorneys to advocate for you, the final decision-making power always rests with the IRS or state taxing authority. —

Nick Perry, USA Today, 2 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

Verb

Gray is endorsed by Kansas City’s branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, and represents the insurgent left flank of the Democratic Party in the race.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
In his speech, Nasrallah endorsed a decades-old death warrant placed on Rushdie by Iranian religious leaders in response to his 1988 novel The Satanic Verses.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 June 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

Gakpo's teammates came onto the filed to support him and formed a circle around him, putting their arms around each other as the crowd cheered, as shown in another video shared by Fox Sports.

— Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
During pregnancy, iron demand increases to support both the baby and placenta, while postpartum recovery can further lower ferritin due to blood loss.

— Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026