counsel

counsel — verb

1. to talk with someone about a personal or emotional difficulty and give them your

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to talk with someone about a personal or emotional difficulty and give them your opinion on what you believe would help them most

Example

The school hired a professional to counsel students about dealing with exam stress.

counsel + object + about + noun phrase

Jisoo's doctor counseled her to reduce her daily caffeine intake.

counsel + object + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • counsel someone about
  • counsel someone on
  • counsel someone against
  • counsel someone to do
  • be counseled by
Synonyms
  • advise

    more general and neutral; suits practical matters (e.g. financial, career)

  • guide

    emphasises directing someone's choices over a longer period

  • recommend

    endorses a specific option; less personal than counsel

Antonyms
  • mislead

    to give someone wrong guidance

Grammar Patterns

counsel + object + to-infinitive

counsel + object + about/on + noun phrase

counsel + object + against + noun phrase

counsel + object (passive: be counseled)

Usage Note

This verb is most common in professional contexts such as therapy, healthcare, religious guidance, or education. It implies listening carefully before offering support — stronger and more personal than 'advise', which is used for practical or business recommendations.

Common Mistakes

My friend counseled me to pick a cheaper hotel.
My friend advised me to pick a cheaper hotel.
'Counsel' is for personal or emotional problems, not everyday practical suggestions.
She counseled him about the best phone to buy.
She advised him on which phone to buy.
Use 'advise' for factual, product-oriented recommendations.
Idioms

keep one's own counsel

idiom

to keep your thoughts, opinions, or plans secret rather than telling other people

Selim listened to the debate but kept his own counsel throughout the meeting.

When asked about her future plans, Hui simply smiled and kept her own counsel.

counsel — noun

Word family

  • counselor
    nounB2
  • counseling
    nounB2
  • counseled
    adjectiveC1
  • uncounseled
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Counsel, advise, recommend, urge, and suggest all involve telling someone what you think they should do, but they differ in strength and context. 'Counsel' is the most personal and supportive — it implies listening to someone's situation and offering guidance, often in a professional or emotional setting. 'Advise' is more neutral and practical, suited for everyday recommendations such as career or financial choices. 'Recommend' means endorsing a specific option based on experience. 'Urge' is much stronger, expressing forceful encouragement or pleading. 'Suggest' is the mildest, offering an idea without pressure. For example, a therapist counsels a grieving client, a bank manager advises on savings, a friend recommends a good restaurant, a parent urges a child to apply for a scholarship, and a colleague suggests trying a different software tool.

counsel ↗advise ↗recommend ↗urge ↗suggest ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • seek counsel
  • offer counsel
  • take counsel
  • follow counsel

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'counsel' comes from Latin 'consilium', meaning a plan, a decision, or advice. It passed into English through Old French 'cunseil' in the 13th century, first as a noun for advice or opinion, and later developed the verb sense of giving that advice. The legal meaning, referring to a lawyer, emerged in the 14th century as the person who gives legal advice in court.