adviser

noun

ad·​vis·​er əd-ˈvī-zər How to pronounce adviser (audio)
variants or advisor
: someone who gives advice
a financial/investment adviser
She was not signing on as a domestic or foreign-policy adviserPeggy Noonan
In this meeting, Clifford, who had been a senior Truman aide and an adviser to Kennedy, used George Ball's memorandums in pleading that the war could not be won.Sidney Blumenthal
In December, she and her thesis advisor, Neal Evans, used the camera, attached to a 50-inch telescope, to look for infant stars in a giant molecular cloud in the constellation Orion.Andrew Chaikin
In a real sense, the emperor's astronomical ministers functioned like advisors in a modern president's cabinet, advising him on how best to conduct the affairs of state in a harmonious and effective manner.Laurence A. Marschall

Did you know?

What's the difference between adviser and advisor?

Adviser or advisor? It doesn't matter what your computer's spellcheck tells you, adviser and advisor are both correct. Although there is enough overlap between these two words that they are generally considered simply to be different ways to spell the same word, there are some cases in which one tends to be used more often than the other. Some people feel that advisor is more formal, and it tends to be found more often when applied to official positions, such as an advisor to a president. When referring to someone who is serving in a military role, especially when using the term as a euphemism (as when claiming that troops are actually military advisers), then adviser is somewhat more common.

Examples of adviser in a Sentence

our financial adviser had some words of caution about buying a second home
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
It was settled a week after Catherine Wu, an adviser at the center of the boardroom tussle resigned after the feud between the elder Kwek and his son became public, resigned. Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 But the courts move slowly and Trump has not shied away from criticizing judges, nor has his adviser, businessman Elon Musk, who has publicly called for some judges to face impeachment for rulings that have slowed or stopped Trump's efforts to remake the federal government. Carrie Johnson, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025 The drastic cuts have been orchestrated by the Department of Government Efficiency, run by top White House adviser Elon Musk. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025 Musk's comment about Meyer highlights the complications around the billionaire serving as a senior adviser to the president while maintaining corporate executive roles. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adviser

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1536, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adviser was circa 1536

Cite this Entry

“Adviser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adviser. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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