What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Advocate vs Sympathize - What's the difference?

advocate | sympathize |

As verbs the difference between advocate and sympathize

is that advocate is (label) to plead in favour of; to defend by argument, before a tribunal or the public; to support, vindicate, or recommend publicly while sympathize is to show sympathy; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected.

As a noun advocate

is someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.

advocate

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.
  • Anyone who argues the case of another; an intercessor.
  • * c. 1591 , (William Shakespeare), Richard III , First Folio 1623:
    • I neuer did incense his Maiestie / Against the Duke of Clarence, but haue bin / An earnest aduocate to plead for him.
  • A person who speaks in support of something.
  • * 2011 , Alix Lee, The Guardian , 9 Oct 2011:
    • He became a tireless advocate for the needs of adults with IMD throughout Britain and internationally.
  • A person who supports others to make their voices heard, or ideally for them to speak up for themselves.
    • ''Since she started working with her advocate , she has become much more confident.

    Derived terms

    * devil's advocate

    Verb

    (advocat)
  • (label) To plead in favour of; to defend by argument, before a tribunal or the public; to support, vindicate, or recommend publicly.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) Bishop Sanderson
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Burke)
  • (label) To encourage support for something.
  • To engage in advocacy.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * advocacy

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms ----

    sympathize

    English

    Verb

    (North America)
  • To show sympathy; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected.
  • * Addison
    • Their countrymen sympathized with their heroes in all their adventures.
  • To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain.
  • * Buckminster
    • The mind will sympathize so much with the anguish and debility of the body, that it will be too distracted to fix itself in meditation.
  • To agree; to be in accord; to harmonize.
    • (Dryden)

    Usage notes

    Used similarly to empathize, interchangeably in looser usage. In stricter usage, (term) is stronger and more intimate, while sympathize is weaker and more distant; see . Further, the general “agree, accord” sense of sympathize is not shared with (term).