Meaning & use
advocate
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To publicly support or recommend a policy, action, or idea.
Grammar: Takes a direct object: advocate reform; do not add for in this pattern.
Patterns
- advocate reform
- advocate a policy
- advocate doing something
The report advocates smaller class sizes in early grades.
Doctors advocate vaccinating children before school starts.
verbintransitive
To speak or act in support of a cause, group, or person.
Grammar: No direct object; usually followed by for: advocate for tenants.
Patterns
- advocate for someone
- advocate for something
- advocate on behalf of someone
She volunteers to advocate for refugee families.
The union advocated for safer equipment at the plant.
nouncountable
A person who publicly supports or argues for a cause, policy, or group.
Grammar: Countable; often followed by of or for: an advocate of reform, an advocate for children.
Patterns
- an advocate of something
- an advocate for someone
- a strong advocate
He became an advocate for affordable housing after retiring.
The senator is a longtime advocate of campaign transparency.
Word forms
| third person singular | advocates |
|---|---|
| past tense | advocated |
| past participle | advocated |
| -ing form | advocating |
Common combinations
- advocate strongly for
- Parents advocated strongly for a crosswalk near the school.
- advocate policy change
- The group advocates policy change through local meetings.
- public advocate
- As a public advocate, she explains the law in plain language.
- advocate on behalf of
- Social workers advocate on behalf of families in crisis.
Synonyms and how they differ
- support
- Support is the broad everyday verb; advocate suggests speaking up publicly for a cause or change.
- recommend
- Recommend means advise a course of action; advocate adds active public backing.
- champion
- Champion implies energetic, often personal promotion of a cause; advocate is slightly more formal.
- urge
- Urge presses strongly for action; advocate can be calmer and more sustained.
Opposites
Word family
- advocacy noun
- Public support for a cause or policy.
- advocate noun
- A person who supports or argues for a cause.
Practice
Choose the best sentence: Many nurses ___ publicly for better staffing.
Choose one answer.
The plural subject many nurses needs the base verb advocate, and the intransitive pattern takes for before the cause. Advocate alone would need a direct object such as better staffing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “advocate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.