“Devil’s Advocate”: Meaning, Examples and Sentences

Elaboration and Examples:

“Devil’s advocate” is a phrase used to describe someone who takes a position or argues a point of view that is different from their own personal beliefs, in order to challenge or provoke discussion. The term is often used in a formal setting, such as a legal or political debate, but it can also be used in informal conversations.

The phrase originated from the Catholic Church, where the person who argues against a candidate’s canonization in a saint-making process is referred to as the “devil’s advocate”. In this context, this role was to point out any flaws or inconsistencies in the candidate’s life and actions in order to ensure that only truly deserving candidates were recognized as saints.

Today, the expression is widely used in both formal and informal settings to describe someone who challenges conventional thinking or argues against a popular opinion. The person taking on the role is not necessarily expressing their own beliefs, but rather attempting to provide a counterpoint to the prevailing argument, in order to encourage deeper analysis and discussion.

Here are a few examples of how the phrase can be used:

1. In a team meeting to discuss a new product launch, John played devil’s advocate and suggested that the product might not sell well in certain markets. His argument sparked a lively discussion, and the team was ultimately able to identify potential issues and develop a stronger launch strategy.

In this example, John is playing the role of the devil’s advocate by taking a position that is different from the rest of the team’s beliefs. By doing so, he is challenging the team to think more critically about their assumptions and consider potential problems that they might not have otherwise anticipated.

2. During a political debate, one of the candidates played devil’s advocate and argued against their own party’s platform on a particular issue. While some viewers were confused by this approach, others appreciated the candidate’s willingness to consider alternative viewpoints and engage in a more nuanced discussion.

In this example, the candidate is playing the role of the devil’s advocate by taking a position that is not necessarily aligned with their party’s beliefs. By doing so, they are challenging the audience to think more critically about the issue at hand and consider multiple perspectives.

Sentences on “Devil’s Advocate”