Meaning & use
advocate for
Last updated
Meanings
phrasetransitive
To publicly support a person, group, or cause.
Grammar: Takes an object: advocate for someone/something.
Patterns
- advocate for someone
- advocate for something
The organization advocates for children's rights.
She advocates for better mental health services.
He has long advocated for prison reform.
phrasetransitive
To speak in favor of a particular action or policy.
Grammar: Takes an object: advocate for doing something.
Patterns
- advocate for doing something
They advocate for reducing carbon emissions.
The senator advocates for increasing the minimum wage.
Many doctors advocate for wearing masks in hospitals.
Common combinations
- advocate for change
- The group advocates for change in education.
- advocate for peace
- She advocates for peace in the region.
- advocate for equality
- They advocate for equality in the workplace.
- advocate for the poor
- He advocates for the poor and homeless.
Synonyms and how they differ
- support
- Broader and can be emotional or financial; 'advocate for' is more public and active.
- promote
- Often means to advertise or help something grow; 'advocate for' focuses on speaking in favor.
- champion
- Stronger and more active; often used for a person who leads a campaign.
Opposites
Word family
Practice
Which sentence uses 'advocate for' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Advocate for' is followed by a noun phrase: 'advocate for better schools'. 'For to help' is wrong because 'to' is not used after 'for' here. 'For improve' is wrong because a verb after 'for' needs -ing: 'for improving'. 'For that we change' is wrong because 'that' clauses are not used after 'for'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “advocate for”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.