0918 Devil's advocate - English Idioms

Explanation

Someone who argues against a claim or position, not necessarily because they disagree with it, but to test its strength, explore weaknesses, or stimulate debate.
Often phrased as playing devil's advocate.

Origin

From the Latin Advocatus Diaboli.
This was an official position within the Roman Catholic Church (established 1587, reformed 1983) whose role was to argue against the canonization (sainthood) of a candidate.
Their job was to uncover flaws or reasons *not* to declare sainthood, ensuring a rigorous examination. The term entered general usage for anyone taking a deliberately opposing stance in a discussion.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

Just throwing it out there... (Often precedes a challenging point)
What if...? (Used to pose counter-scenarios)
Punching holes in the argument. (Testing for weaknesses)

Vulgar/Emphatic (Often expresses frustration *with* someone perceived as being difficult, rather than the role itself):

Are you just trying to be a contrarian dick? (Insulting)
Stop shitting on every idea! (Accusatory)

Milder/Standard:

Let's consider the counterarguments.
What are the potential downsides?
From another perspective...

Situational Appropriateness

Appropriate in informal discussions, debates, brainstorming sessions, and many professional meetings.
It's generally helpful to preface it (Let me play devil's advocate...) so people understand your intention isn't just negativity.
Be cautious with tone, as it can sometimes be perceived as intentionally obstructive or argumentative if overused or delivered poorly.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Learners might misunderstand and think the person actually holds the negative belief or is being intentionally difficult. Emphasize that the role is often adopted strategically for better discussion.
The association with devil is purely historical/figurative and not religious in this context.

Examples

Let me play devil's advocate here: what if our main competitor launches a similar product first?
She's not actually against the plan; she's just playing devil's advocate to make sure we've considered all angles.
Someone needs to be the devil's advocate, or we'll fall victim to groupthink.

Dialogue

Team Lead: I think we should launch the new feature next week.

Ben: Okay, playing devil's advocate for a second... have we fully tested the server load? A big influx of users could crash it.

Team Lead: Good point, Ben. Let's double-check the stress test results before committing to the date.

Response Patterns

That's a fair point. We need to consider that.
Okay, let's address that potential issue.
I see where you're coming from, but here's why I disagree...
Thanks for raising that – it's important we cover all bases.
Sometimes mild annoyance if it feels obstructive: Are you just being difficult, or do you have a real concern?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After someone plays devil's advocate:

The group typically addresses the counterargument raised.
Someone might ask the devil's advocate to elaborate: What makes you think that might happen?
The discussion continues, incorporating the opposing viewpoint.

Conversation Starter

No.
Used within a discussion or debate, typically to introduce a counterargument.

Intonation

Often introduced with a slight pause or framing phrase like If I can play devil's advocate...
The tone is usually questioning or challenging, but not necessarily aggressive. Emphasis on DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.

Generation Differences

Widely understood and used across educated speakers of various generations.

Regional Variations

Common in all major English-speaking regions.

Food for thought

🎲 Go down a rabbit hole

[0918] Devil's advocate