1
as in lawyers
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
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2
as in advisers
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
1
as in consults
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
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2
as in guides
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
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3
as in advises
to give advice to
perhaps a psychologist would be better qualified to counsel you
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4
as in suggests
to put (something) forward as one's choice for a wise or proper course of action
I would counsel caution and deliberation in this sensitive matter
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counsels
Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Sitting alongside our lawyers in our counsels, defending the state of Texas and having to put my name out there in defense of the state.
—Jack Fink, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Tess wants to keep certain parts of the past secret from him—that way, Marjorie won’t relearn them—but Jon counsels candor.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
At its core, the dispute will help determine how much authority special counsels have, how transparent the Justice Department must be in politically sensitive investigations, and whether a sitting president can use the courts to keep findings about his own conduct from public view.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Ray Dalio counsels holding amid bubble.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
Hints, counsels, warnings, remonstrations, even encouragements are, in the end, of limited value.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
Moody has been dedicating her practice to helping clients navigate the AI space and counsels nearly a dozen generative voice and audio AI companies.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Kristina Conti, one of the counsels of the victims, said in a press conference at The Hague on Monday that requests for Duterte’s interim release should be denied, since the Duterte family remains powerful in the Philippines and has access to a wealth of resources.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
Licensed therapist Allison Guilbault, who counsels Gen Z clients in New York City, said splitting tabs, sharing Ubers and buying their own drinks has also become the standard.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Kelsey’s group has facilitated 234 face-to-face surrenders through its hotline, which counsels women who might want to surrender their babies, but just about 62 babies have been left in boxes since Kelsey started the organization, according to Kelly, the nurse and company representative.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
After taking office, Lee appointed three independent counsels to delve into allegations involving Yoon, his wife and associates.
—Verb
Another letter by the Colorado County Clerks Association counsels the same.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for counsels
Noun
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West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is preparing for his team of lawyers to make their argument in front of the top court, a case defending the state's Save Women's Sports Act, which prohibits those who were assigned male at birth from playing on competitive female sports teams.—
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His lawyers have asked the judge to hold an evidentiary hearing that could unfold like the dayslong hearing held last month in Mangione’s state case, where prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office laid out details of how Mangione’s arrest unfolded.—
Noun
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For example, financial advisors may recommend placing assets with high-growth potential, such as stocks and mutual funds, in a Roth account for eventual tax-free withdrawals, while holding more tax-efficient assets, such as municipal bond funds, in your personal after-tax or brokerage accounts.—
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Cuba’s complicated barter system with Venezuela—exchanging oil for thousands of Cuban doctors, teachers, sports trainers, technical advisers, and intelligence operatives—has endured.—
Verb
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Irene, overwhelmed, joins her son’s therapy sessions, consults doctors and seeks help in traditional Chinese medicine at the local dispensary.—
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The footage from Minneapolis is disturbing, said Cathy Riggs, a retired Los Angeles police officer of more than 30 years who now consults on police use-of-force cases.—
Verb
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Book experiences with locals like Barefoot Billy, who guides an epic, 26-mile Jet Ski tour, or Marianne van den Broek, a professional sand sculptor who leads workshops.—
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Premium Pliers Gugino, who guides striped bass and bluefish around Boston Harbor, and Rubner never leave the dock without a premium pair of pliers.—
Verb
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For a similar look, Graciano advises asking for a shape-first haircut, done dry or curl by curl.—
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Yost advises homeowners to extend their downspouts at least 6 to 10 feet from the home's foundation to prevent basement leaks.—
Verb
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Half a glance at the international news suggests that major Faustian bargains are occurring at a breakneck pace, all around the world, many by untroubled parties.—
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Stories for the waiting room A new study out of Texas A&M suggests that just 20 minutes of exercise twice a week may help slow dementia.—
Noun
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Experts with relevant professional experience in the startup and innovation ecosystem (such as venture capital firms representatives, entrepreneurs or consultants) are also invited to contribute their expertise using this link.—
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Families also receive support from social workers, developmental therapists, and lactation consultants, along with educational resources to help them through their NICU journey.—
Verb
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Graduation from one of the top 100 Chinese universities confers lifelong financial and professional benefits.—
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Luigi Mangione confers with his attorney Jacob Kaplan in court Monday.—
Cite this Entry
“Counsels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counsels. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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