proponent
noun
pro·po·nent
prə-ˈpō-nənt 
ˈprō-ˌpō-
: one who argues in favor of something : advocate
Did you know?
Proponent comes from the same Latin word as propose, so a proponent is someone who proposes something, or at least supports it by speaking and writing in favor of it. Thus, for example, proponents of casinos argue that they create jobs, whereas proponents of a casino ban—that is, casino opponents—argue that they're corrupting and they take money away from people who can't afford it. As a rule, just about anything important that gets proposed also gets opposed.
Examples of proponent in a Sentence
a vocal proponent of the use of electric-powered cars
Recent Examples on the Web
What’s at stake: Cashless bail proponents have argued in D.C. and other major cities across the country that cash requirements disproportionately harm low-income offenders who cannot afford to post bond.
—
Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 25 Aug. 2025
Chase Elliott: ‘Just give NASCAR a chance’ NASCAR driver Chase Elliott has gone on record before as a proponent of moving a Cup race to the Fairgrounds Speedway.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
As more power-hungry data centers come online, the ability of geothermal heating and cooling to reduce the energy needs of other users of the grid, particularly at periods of peak demand, could become increasingly important, geothermal proponents say.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
And yet the deal did not deliver the widening thaw that some of its proponents hoped for.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proponent
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.
Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 25 Aug. 2025
Chase Elliott: ‘Just give NASCAR a chance’ NASCAR driver Chase Elliott has gone on record before as a proponent of moving a Cup race to the Fairgrounds Speedway.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
As more power-hungry data centers come online, the ability of geothermal heating and cooling to reduce the energy needs of other users of the grid, particularly at periods of peak demand, could become increasingly important, geothermal proponents say.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
And yet the deal did not deliver the widening thaw that some of its proponents hoped for.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proponent
Cite this Entry
“Proponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proponent. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
proponent
noun
pro·po·nent
prə-ˈpō-nənt
ˈprō-ˌpō-nənt
: one who argues in favor of something
a proponent of recycling
Legal Definition
proponent
noun
pro·po·nent
prə-ˈpō-nənt
1
: one who argues in favor of something
2
: one who offers a will for probate
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share