# devil's advocate

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/devils-advocate
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

One who debates from a viewpoint which one may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity or simply for the sake of argument.

## Examples

- He likes to play devil's advocate during our team meetings.
- You always act as a devil's advocate when we try to choose a restaurant.
- My brother plays devil's advocate just to start an argument with me.
- She played devil's advocate to help the group find potential flaws in the new project plan.
- I will play devil's advocate for a moment and ask why we should spend money on this marketing campaign if our current sales are already high.
- The teacher often plays devil's advocate to encourage the students to think more deeply about their own opinions during the debate.
- Even though I want to buy the house, let me play devil's advocate and list the reasons why moving might be a mistake.
- Although he personally agreed with the proposal, he played devil's advocate to ensure the committee considered every possible counterargument before making a final decision.

## Origin

Calque of Latin advocātus diabolī (“the devil’s advocate”), a popular title given to the officer dealing with the canonization process in the 16th c.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.