devil's advocate

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

Playing devil’s advocate: He may be responding to a new person in his home who is being kind and helpful.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 1, 2025

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

From BBC • May 24, 2025

For example, they are allowed to make an educational point by playing devil’s advocate in a class debate on contemporary American politics.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 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