advocate
advocate — verb
1. to speak or write in public arguing that a particular idea, plan, or method shou
to speak or write in public arguing that a particular idea, plan, or method should be accepted and put into practice.
Dr. Lin advocates a plant-based diet to lower the risk of heart disease.
advocate + noun phrase (the proposal being supported)
The mayor of Taichung publicly advocates building more bike lanes near schools.
advocate + -ing form for ongoing actions
Many teachers advocate smaller class sizes so children can ask more questions.
In her column, Eitan advocates for stronger laws against online bullying.
Some economists advocate raising taxes on sugar to reduce health costs.
- oppose
to publicly argue against
- discourage
to try to stop people doing something
文法句型
advocate + noun
advocate + doing something
advocate for + noun
用法筆記
Often used in news writing, opinion pieces, and policy discussion. The object is typically an abstract idea (a policy, change, method), not a person — for that, use sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. to act on behalf of someone — usually a person who lacks power, money, or a stro
to act on behalf of someone — usually a person who lacks power, money, or a strong voice — by speaking up so their needs and rights are heard.
The charity advocates for refugee children who arrive in Taiwan without their parents.
advocate for + vulnerable group
Nurses on the ward advocate for patients who cannot speak after a stroke.
advocate for + people who cannot speak themselves
Amara has spent ten years advocating for low-income families in Taipei.
Social workers advocate for elderly residents who feel afraid to complain about their care.
- represent
neutral; common in legal and political contexts
- speak up for
everyday phrasing for the same idea
- stand up for
informal; suggests defending against attack
文法句型
advocate for + person/group
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the object after 'for' is a person or group (who needs help), not an idea or policy. Often used about lawyers, social workers, charities, and nurses.
常見錯誤
3. to argue someone's case in front of a judge — for example, presenting the reason
to argue someone's case in front of a judge — for example, presenting the reasons why an accused person should be found not guilty.
The young barrister advocated her client's case in the Edinburgh High Court last Tuesday.
advocate + case (formal legal use)
Mr. Chen has advocated for defendants who could not afford a private lawyer for over twenty years.
advocate for + defendant (long-term legal work)
The senior counsel advocated forcefully against the witness's account during the trial.
Professor Brown trains law students to advocate clearly when standing before a judge.
- prosecute
to argue the case against the accused
文法句型
advocate + a case
advocate for + defendant
用法筆記
Specialised legal use, more common in Scotland and Commonwealth jurisdictions than in everyday American English. In US courts, 'represent' or 'argue for' is more usual.
advocate — noun
1. a trained lawyer whose job is to stand up in court and argue a client's side of
a trained lawyer whose job is to stand up in court and argue a client's side of a case — the official title for this kind of courtroom lawyer in Scottish and South African legal systems.
The advocate questioned the witness for over an hour before the lunch break.
advocate as courtroom lawyer (subject of legal action)
Edinburgh has produced many famous advocates over the past three centuries.
plural use; Scottish legal context
Her grandfather worked as an advocate at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
In South Africa, an advocate may only take cases referred to them by an attorney.
文法句型
an advocate for + person
the advocate of the defendant
用法筆記
Geographic label: in Scotland and South Africa this is the official title. In England and Wales the equivalent is 'barrister'. American English usually uses 'attorney' or 'trial lawyer' instead.
常見錯誤
2. a person whose role is to make sure the voice and rights of someone weaker — for
a person whose role is to make sure the voice and rights of someone weaker — for example a child, a patient, or a refugee — are taken seriously by people in power.
Maria works as an advocate for children who have been removed from unsafe homes.
advocate for + vulnerable group
Every patient on the ward is assigned an advocate who can speak to the doctors on their behalf.
patient advocate role; institutional context
Mr. Patel became a tireless advocate for disabled workers after his own accident.
The school appointed an advocate to support students who feel unsafe at home.
- champion
stronger; suggests passionate, public defence
- supporter
weaker; doesn't imply an active role of speaking up
- spokesperson
narrower; focuses on speaking publicly rather than ongoing care
文法句型
an advocate for + group
advocate of + person/group
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this is a non-legal role in healthcare, education, and social services. Subjects are often children, patients, the elderly, or marginalised communities.
3. a person who is publicly known for arguing that a certain idea, plan, or change
a person who is publicly known for arguing that a certain idea, plan, or change is a good one and trying to persuade others to agree.
Ms. Wang is a leading advocate of remote learning in rural primary schools.
leading advocate of + idea
Many advocates of clean energy spoke at the climate summit in Berlin.
plural use; advocates of + cause at an event
The senator has been a vocal advocate for tighter gun safety laws since 2018.
Once a strong advocate of nuclear power, Professor Davies now warns against it.
文法句型
an advocate of + idea
an advocate for + cause
用法筆記
Both 'advocate of' and 'advocate for' appear; 'of' is slightly more formal and often pairs with abstract ideas, 'for' is preferred in American English and with named causes.