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Showing results for devil's advocate.
Definitions

devil's advocate

[dev-uhlz ad-vuh-kit] / ˈdɛv əlz ˈæd və kɪt /


NOUN
opponent for the sake of it
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In her first SCiLL class, Allen said, “There were definitely people who’d signed up to play devil’s advocate in what they assumed would be a conservative class.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

A devil’s advocate might argue that these assumptions themselves are a characteristic of a late bull market, when everyone is kicking themselves for not being 100% — or 150% — invested in stocks.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025

News website Ukrayinska Pravda even called him "the devil's advocate".

From BBC • May 24, 2025

But I'll indulge in a moment of playing devil's advocate.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2024

In Rome the advocatus diaboli, or devil’s advocate, had been established as early as 1587 to test the evidence adduced in support of the miracles claimed for those proposed for canonization.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton