Word
advocate
Phoneticsad·vo·cate, stress on the first syllable
/ˈædvəˌkeɪt/
Definitions
01to support an idea
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic · Formal
v. to publicly support or suggest an idea, plan, or way of doing something.
v. to publicly recommend or support a particular policy, cause, or course of action. Transitive — takes a direct object or a gerund.
Español:abogar/advocar por
“Many doctors advocate eating more vegetables and exercising daily to stay healthy.”
“The report strongly advocates a complete overhaul of the current tax system to encourage long-term investment in renewable energy.”
Pitfall
The group advocates for a change in the law.
The group advocates a change in the law.
In formal writing, 'advocate' is a transitive verb and does not need the preposition 'for', though 'for' is common in informal speech.
02a supporter
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Academic
n. someone who publicly supports a particular idea or group of people.
n. a person who publicly supports or suggests a particular cause or policy.
“She has been a lifelong advocate for children's rights in her community.”
“As a leading advocate for environmental protection, he was invited to speak at the international climate summit.”
03legal representative
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a lawyer who speaks for someone in a court of law.
n. a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law; a professional legal representative.
“The defendant's advocate argued that there was not enough evidence for a conviction.”
“The faculty of advocates maintains strict standards of conduct for all members practicing in the higher courts.”
Usage
In many legal systems, particularly in Scotland and parts of Europe, this is a specific professional title.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “advocate” in context.
Verb
01. advocate approach
“Many educators advocate a holistic approach to student development rather than focusing solely on test scores.”
verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“For women who experience such losses, the medical crisis can be compounded by social expectations.“Motherhood is one-sided,” women’s rights advocate Tabou Sarr says.” “That's the bit that people like Annabelle benefit from and that advocates say the NDIS was designed for: to enable disabled people to be an integral part of the economy and Australian society.” “Transgender rights advocates said the new rule would face a legal challenge.” “I’ve worked with campaigners and advocates with lived experience of gambling harm, and highlighted organisations such as Gambling with Lives and Gambling Harm UK , whose expertise helped make the case for reform.” Etymology
From Middle English advocat, advoket, from Old French advocat, from Latin advocātus (“an advocate”), from the substantivization of the perfect passive participle of advocāre (“to call for”) (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from a calque of Ancient Greek παράκλητος (paráklētos) (whence English paraclete). Doublet of advoke, avocat, avouch, and avow. The verb derives from the noun on the basis of -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
01. angel's advocate
02. devil's advocate
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/advocate
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0