Definition of advice

Short definition: The word Advice means helpful ideas or suggestions you give someone to guide their choices, solve a problem, or avoid mistakes, often shared in friendly conversations, daily situations, or simple guidance from experience.

Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the word advice? The word advice is commonly used when we talk about helping someone decide what to do, especially in moments of doubt, confusion, or emotional stress. It can mean giving guidance, sharing experience, or offering thoughtful suggestions so someone feels more confident about their next step. In everyday life, advice often comes from people we trust—friends, family, teachers, or professionals—and it plays a big role in shaping our choices. Below, each meaning is explained in a relaxed and real-life way, with long examples that sound natural in daily conversations.

Form: advice (uncountable noun)
Related: advise v., advisory adj.
Syllable: ad-vice

1. A helpful suggestion or guidance about what someone should do.
   She asked her best friend for advice about changing careers, hoping to hear an honest opinion that would help her feel less afraid of starting over.
   Whenever he feels lost in life, he turns to his parents’ advice, knowing that their experience often brings calm and clarity.
   The young writer carefully followed the editor’s advice, realizing that small changes in wording could greatly improve the story.

   Synonyms: guidance, suggestion, counsel, recommendation, helpful tip, friendly guidance, wise words, personal counsel, words of wisdom, thoughtful suggestion, life guidance, practical tip
   Antonyms: misinformation, bad guidance, misleading counsel, poor suggestion, wrong direction, false tip, harmful advice, confusing input, bad influence, wrong counsel, deceptive guidance, faulty recommendation

2. Professional guidance given by an expert in serious or important matters.
   Before investing his savings, he decided to seek financial advice from a professional who could explain the risks clearly and honestly.
   The patient trusted the doctor’s advice, even when the treatment plan required patience and lifestyle changes.
   The company asked for legal advice to make sure every decision followed the law and avoided future problems.

   Synonyms: consultation, expert guidance, professional counsel, specialist input, technical guidance, legal counsel, medical guidance, expert opinion, formal recommendation, strategic direction, advisory support, professional opinion
   Antonyms: guesswork, amateur opinion, uninformed judgment, blind decision, reckless choice, baseless opinion, careless guidance, random suggestion, unsupported claim, ignorant advice, uninformed counsel, risky assumption

3. Caring guidance meant to protect or support someone emotionally.
   Her grandmother’s advice was always gentle, reminding her to be kind to herself even when life felt overwhelming.
   Sometimes the best advice comes not from experts, but from friends who truly understand your struggles and emotions.
   He appreciated his sister’s advice, because it came from love rather than judgment.

   Synonyms: heartfelt counsel, caring guidance, emotional support, kind suggestion, gentle guidance, supportive words, loving counsel, compassionate advice, warm encouragement, sincere guidance, friendly support, emotional counsel
   Antonyms: harsh criticism, cold judgment, discouragement, negative influence, emotional neglect, cruel words, hurtful guidance, harsh advice, unsympathetic response, judgmental comments, cold reaction, insensitive counsel

4. A formal notice or instruction given in official or business situations.
   The bank sent an advice to inform customers about changes in their account policy.
   The shipping company issued an advice to notify clients that deliveries might be delayed because of the storm.
   He received an official advice confirming that his payment had been successfully processed.

   Synonyms: notification, formal notice, official message, written alert, confirmation notice, business notice, administrative message, official communication, service notice, transaction notice, formal update, company alert
   Antonyms: silence, lack of notice, no information, hidden message, unannounced action, missing notification, communication failure, information blackout, absence of notice, no update, withheld message, ignored notice

5. An opinion offered to influence a decision or future action.
   On his manager’s advice, he chose to delay the project launch until the team felt fully prepared.
   She acted on her mentor’s advice, believing that long-term growth mattered more than quick success.
   The board made its final decision based on expert advice, hoping to secure the company’s future stability.

   Synonyms: strategic suggestion, guiding opinion, influencing counsel, decision support, leadership guidance, directional input, executive counsel, planning guidance, advisory opinion, forward-looking counsel, policy guidance, strategic input
   Antonyms: independent decision, self-guided choice, impulsive action, unadvised move, solo judgment, spontaneous decision, unguided step, reckless choice, hasty action, isolated decision, unsupported move, blind choice