To play devil's advocate
DEV-ulz AD-vuh-kut /ˈædvəkət/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
To argue the opposite side on purpose, to test an idea — not because you believe it. Common in UK seminars: "Just to play devil's advocate…" It is a debating move, not a personal attack.
Chinese explanation
故意唱反调来检验一个观点——并不代表自己真的这么想。英国研讨课常用："Just to play devil's advocate…"（我故意抬个杠……）。这是讨论技巧，不是人身攻击。
Example conversation
A: Everyone seems to agree the ban worked.
B: Just to play devil's advocate — would sales have fallen anyway, ban or no ban?
A：大家似乎都认为禁令起了作用。
B：我故意唱个反调——就算没有禁令，销量会不会照样下降？
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake