PROPONENT Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

proponent

noun

prə-ˈpō-nənt

Definition of proponent

as in advocate

a person who actively supports or favors a cause a vocal proponent of the use of electric-powered cars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of proponent Prediction market platforms and their proponents say trading contracts on the markets is not the same as betting, likening it instead to trading on the stock market. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Anthony Beale, 9th, who has been a leading proponent of VGTs in Chicago. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026 The courtroom was filled Tuesday with journalists and some Mangione proponents, who were wearing green, an apparent reference to the Luigi character from the iconic Nintendo Super Mario games and subsequent movies. — Adam Reiss, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026 Road infrastructure, proponents say, must encourage lower speeds – and accommodate human error. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for proponent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for proponent

Noun

When the lottery was proposed, advocates promised profits would go to aid education.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Senate Republicans have expressed wariness in recent days about the prospect of slashing those standards, which advocates say help keep kids safe and healthy.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of advocate

Noun

Even her supporters glance askance at one another during her rambling entreaties.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Cliven Bundy, the family patriarch, rallied hundreds of supporters to block the roundup of his cattle, sparking a days long armed standoff between law enforcement and the Bundy group near the town of Bunkerville, outside of Las Vegas.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of supporter

Noun

His mind didn’t go blank; rather, all the what-ifs multiplied like exponents, crowding his thoughts and rendering him unable to envision anything else.

— Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Often categorized along with Bellow and Bernard Malamud as exponents of a particularly Jewish-American sensibility, all three were additionally masters of the American voice.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 June 2026

Definition of exponent

Browse Nearby Words

propitious

proponent

proponents

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Proponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proponent. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of proponent

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on proponent

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

circumscribe

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes