Idiom idiom
play devil's advocate
Meaning
To argue the opposite
Examples
“I will play devil's advocate to help you think of new ideas.”
“Even though he agreed with the plan, he played devil's advocate to make sure they considered every possible risk.”
“The professor often plays devil's advocate during seminars, challenging his students' assumptions to encourage deeper critical thinking and more robust arguments.”
Origin
first recorded 16th c. disputed origin
first recorded 16th c. disputed origin
From the Catholic Church's advocatus diaboli, the official appointed to argue against a candidate's canonisation as a saint (office formalised in 1587).
Last updated June 7, 2026