Meaning & use

advocate

verb·Academic

To publicly support or recommend a particular cause, policy, or course of action.

See it in a sentence

The doctor advocates for better access to mental health care in rural communities.

Environmental groups have long advocated stricter limits on industrial emissions.

A note on using this word

Advocate can take a direct object (advocate a policy) or be followed by 'for' (advocate for change); both patterns are standard in American English.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

A person who publicly supports or argues for a particular cause or group of people.

She works as an advocate for homeless veterans in the city.

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