1
as in lawyer
a person whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise about legal rights and obligations
if you cannot afford counsel, one will be provided for you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in advice
an opinion suggesting a wise or proper course of action
I suggest you take the teacher's counsel
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in adviser
a person who gives advice especially professionally
the toy manufacturer hired a public relations counsel to do some damage control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in consult
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
she approved the move after a counsel with her advisers
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to consult
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem
concerned parents counseling about the problem of substance abuse in their community
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to guide
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed
every year the admissions officer counsels thousands of students about the process of applying to college
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to advise
to give advice to
perhaps a psychologist would be better qualified to counsel you
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
Examples 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 counsel
Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Jan. 2025
Regulations require special counsels to submit a report to the attorney general detailing their investigative findings and prosecutorial decisions.
—Robert Legare, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2025
Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
After losing a loved one in prison in 2016 to an apparent suicide, Lozano also counsels women experiencing mental health crises.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counsel 
Noun
Special counsel Jack Smith turned in his final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland and departed the Department of Justice on Saturday, but whether the public will be able to access the report remains uncertain.
—Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Jan. 2025
Regulations require special counsels to submit a report to the attorney general detailing their investigative findings and prosecutorial decisions.
—Robert Legare, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
To secure debt in the early years, Sanchez counseled to focus on profitability.
—Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
After losing a loved one in prison in 2016 to an apparent suicide, Lozano also counsels women experiencing mental health crises.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counsel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counsel
Noun
-
Thadeus is careful not to communicate disappointment to the estate lawyer.—
Han Ong,
The New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2025
-
Stanley also has the backing of the Justice Department, which is joining her lawyers in arguing on her behalf in Monday’s oral arguments.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA TODAY,
12 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Finally, when the military is politicized, officers have strong incentives not to provide civilians with frank advice, and the public debate on military affairs becomes impoverished.—
Ronald R. Krebs,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Assess your risk The importance of all this advice depends on a person’s health and their exposure to poor quality air.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Hall served as an adviser to the Service Corporation of Retired Executives (SCORE) until his death on May 8, 2002.—
Mike Keckhaver),
arkansasonline.com,
11 Jan. 2025
-
Fine is running to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, who will serve as Trump’s national security adviser.—
Dara Kam,
Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Funds will power more enterprise partnerships and fee-for-service Medicaid contracts and an expansion of product offerings to include STI home tests, PrEP and prenatal consults.—
Erin Brodwin,
Axios,
7 Jan. 2025
-
Erika talks about Sutton with her therapist, Dr. Jenn, who comes by for a therapy session and an interior-design consult.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The judge held off making any final rulings on the issue, giving the attorneys a chance to confer among themselves and make alternate proposals.—
Megan Crepeau,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Yacht rock celebrates pop’s repurposing of Black artists’ ideas, conferring the air of wealth on the extraction without unpacking life on the business end of the fangs in a vampiric arrangement.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Pure Amazon will travel its namesake region, with two cabins specifically for solo travelers, plus expert guides leading three- and four-night trips on rivers in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.—
Jennifer Billock,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Jan. 2025
-
Leaders can guide their teams to focus on direct and meaningful connections with customers.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Though Arledge died in 2002, the real Geoff Mason was an invaluable resource to the production, from advising on drafts of the script to helping secure rights to the original broadcast footage.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
18 Jan. 2025
-
These are foods that the American Academy of Pediatrics has long advised parents to limit in kids' diets for other reasons, too.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The busy halls and cautiously optimistic mood among exhibitors and buyers alike suggested that the trade show’s roots in classicism are still appealing and allowed the showcase to reclaim its spot in the menswear conversation.—
Martino Carrera,
WWD,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The polling also suggested that Kemp was the only candidate surveyed who could beat Ossoff in the race.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
17 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to counsel
Thesaurus Entries Near counsel
Cite this Entry
“Counsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counsel. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share