Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense sponsors, present participle sponsoring, past tense, past participle sponsored
1. verb
If an organization or an individual sponsors something such as an event or someone's training, they pay some or all of the expenses connected with it, often in order to get publicity for themselves.
Mercury, in association with The Independent, is sponsoring Britain's first majorPop Art exhibition for over 20 years. [VERB noun]
The competition was sponsored by Ruinart Champagne. [beVERB-ed]
Most students are sponsored by the National Department of Education. [VERB noun]
2. verb
In Britain, if you sponsor someone who is doing something to raise money for charity, for example trying to walk a certain distance, you agree to give them a sum of money for the charity if they succeed in doing it.
Please could you sponsor me for my school's campaign for Help the Aged? [VERB noun]
3. verb
If you sponsor a proposal or suggestion, you officially put it forward and support it.
Eight senators sponsored legislation to stop the military funding. [VERB noun]
4. verb
When a country or an organization such as the United Nations sponsors negotiations between countries, it suggests holding the negotiations and organizes them.
The superpowers may well have difficulties sponsoring negotiations. [VERB noun]
...two days of talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, sponsored by the United Nations. [VERB-ed]
5. verb
If one country accuses another of sponsoring attacks on it, they mean that the other country does not do anything to prevent the attacks,and may even encourage them.
We have to make the states that sponsor terrorism pay a price. [VERB noun]
6. verb
If a company or organization sponsors a television programme, they pay to have a special advertisement shown at the beginning and end of the programme, and at each commercial break.
Companies will now be able to sponsor programmes on certain channels. [VERB noun]
7. countable noun
A sponsor is a person or organization that sponsors something or someone.
I understand they are to be named as the new sponsors of the League Cup. [+ of]
The event has retained its chief sponsor In difficult financial times.
Synonyms: backer, patron, promoter, angel [informal] More Synonyms of sponsor
More Synonyms of sponsor
sponsor in British English
(ˈspɒnsə)
noun
1. (a person or group that provides funds for an activity, esp)
a.
a commercial organization that pays all or part of the cost of putting on a concert, sporting event, etc
b.
a person who donates money to a charity when the person requesting the donation has performed a specified activity as part of an organized fund-raising effort
2. mainly US and Canadian
a person or business firm that pays the costs of a radio or television programme in return for advertising time
3.
a legislator who presents and supports a bill, motion, etc
4. Also called: godparent
a.
an authorized witness who makes the required promises on behalf of a person to be baptized and thereafter assumes responsibility for his or her Christian upbringing
b.
a person who presents a candidate for confirmation
5. mainly US
a person who undertakes responsibility for the actions, statements, obligations, etc, of another, as during a period of apprenticeship; guarantor
verb
6. (transitive)
to act as a sponsor for
Derived forms
sponsorial (spɒnˈsɔːrɪəl)
adjective
sponsorship (ˈsponsorˌship)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Latin, from spondēre to promise solemnly
sponsor in American English
(ˈspɑnsər)
noun
1.
a person or agency that undertakes certain responsibilities in connection with some other person or some group or activity, as in being a proponent, endorser, advisor, underwriter, surety, etc.
2.
a.
a godfather or godmother; person who answers for a child, as at baptism, making the profession of faith and the promises prescribed
b.
in some Christian denominations, a person who acts as patron for someone being confirmed
3. US
a business firm or other agency that alone or with others pays the costs of a radio or television program on which it advertises or promotes something
verb transitive
4.
to act as sponsor for
SYNONYMY NOTE: a sponsor is one who assumes a certain degree of responsibility for another in any of variousways [the sponsors of a television program assume the costs of production]; a patron is one who assumes the role of protector or benefactor, now usually in a financialcapacity as of an artist, an institution, etc.; a , backer is one who lends support, esp. financial support, to someone or something but doesnot necessarily assume any responsibilities [the magazine failed when it lost its backers]; angel is a colloquial term for the backer of a theatrical enterprise
Derived forms
sponsorial (sponˈsorial) (ˈspɑnˈsɔriəl)
adjective
sponsorship (ˈsponsorˌship)
noun
Word origin
L, surety < spondere, to promise solemnly < IE base *spend-, to bring a libation, vow > Gr spendein, to promise, spondē, libation
Examples of 'sponsor' in a sentence
sponsor
An independent charitable organization sponsoring and publishing research into complementary medicine.
Martlew, Gillian & Silver, Shelley (ed) The Medicine Chest - your family's guide to prescription drugs (1988)
But this means that checks must be conducted on colleges and businesses sponsoring immigrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They may be sponsored by groups of parents or teachers or by an organisation.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Sponsors and commercial partners would be crazy not to jump on the back of that.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Button told the new team sponsor in no uncertain terms to back off.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Then we need to find another sponsor.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He set aside a year to search for a sponsor to pay for his project.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We could have raised some money for charity with a sponsored foul day.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Businesses that sponsor academies do often have a commercial interest in schools.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is a possibility we may sponsor a conference together down the road.
Christianity Today (2000)
The prize may yet go on if another sponsor is found.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The millions raised from the auction will go to a specially formed charity that will sponsor expeditions.
The Sun (2011)
The programmes were sponsored or owned by a soap manufacturer and featured products geared towards the female audience.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He has won praise for his commercial ability and finalised deals all over the world with major sponsors.
The Sun (2014)
The academies programme needed rich sponsors.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
When you accept big money from a sponsor, you sell your soul.
The Sun (2014)
As a sponsoring organization, you do not fully commit yourself to the venture.
Larry Downes THE STRATEGY MACHINE (2002)
The new era of sponsored tweets has already arrived in Britain.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You should consider studying part-time or asking your employer to sponsor you and pay a proportion of your fees.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It will also sponsor the League 1 team.
The Sun (2016)
His message was directed at Iran, his chief sponsor.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Others in the field cite pharmaceutical companies sponsoring trips to New York.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The only crumb of comfort is the knowledge the 20m deal signed with chief sponsors Nationwide last year will not be affected by missing out on qualification.
The Sun (2007)
In other languages
sponsor
British English: sponsor /ˈspɒnsə/ NOUN
A sponsor is a person or organization that sponsors something or someone.
Our company is proud to be the sponsor of this event.
American English: sponsor
Arabic: رَاع
Brazilian Portuguese: patrocinador
Chinese: 赞助人
Croatian: pokrovitelj
Czech: sponzor
Danish: sponsor
Dutch: sponsor
European Spanish: patrocinador
Finnish: sponsori
French: sponsor
German: Sponsor
Greek: χορηγός
Italian: sponsor
Japanese: 後援者
Korean: 후원자
Norwegian: sponsor
Polish: sponsor
European Portuguese: patrocinador
Romanian: sponsor
Russian: спонсор
Latin American Spanish: patrocinador
Swedish: sponsor
Thai: ผู้อุปถัมภ์
Turkish: sponsor
Ukrainian: спонсор
Vietnamese: nhà tài trợ
British English: sponsor /ˈspɒnsə/ VERB
If an organization sponsors something such as an event, it pays some or all of the expenses connected with it, often in order to get publicity for itself.
A local bank is sponsoring the race.
American English: sponsor
Arabic: يَرْعَى
Brazilian Portuguese: patrocinar
Chinese: 赞助
Croatian: sponzorirati
Czech: sponzorovat
Danish: sponsorere
Dutch: sponsoren
European Spanish: patrocinar
Finnish: sponsoroida
French: parrainer
German: sponsern
Greek: επιχορηγώ
Italian: sponsorizzare
Japanese: 後援者となる
Korean: 후원하다
Norwegian: sponse
Polish: sponsorować
European Portuguese: patrocinar
Romanian: a sponsoriza
Russian: спонсировать
Latin American Spanish: patrocinar
Swedish: sponsra
Thai: อุปถัมภ์
Turkish: finanse etmek
Ukrainian: спонсорувати
Vietnamese: tài trợ
Chinese translation of 'sponsor'
sponsor
(ˈspɔnsəʳ)
n(c)
[of player, event, TV programme]赞(贊)助者 (zànzhùzhě)
(Brit, for charity) 出资(資)者 (chūzīzhě)
(for application, bill in parliament etc) 倡议(議)者 (chàngyìzhě)
vt
[player, event, TV programme]赞(贊)助 (zànzhù)
(Brit, for charity) 赞(贊)助 (zànzhù)
[proposal, bill etc]倡议(議) (chàngyì)
(verb)
Definition
to act as a sponsor for (someone or something)
They are sponsoring a major pop art exhibition.
Synonyms
back
Murjani backed him to start the new company.
fund
The foundation has funded a variety of faculty programs.
finance
new taxes to finance increased military expenditure
promote
His country will do everything possible to promote peace.
subsidize
a government decision to subsidize coal mining
patronize
Some believe it is not the job of the government to patronize the arts.
put up the money for
act as a guarantor for
lend your name to
(noun)
Definition
a person or group that promotes another person or group in an activity or the activity itself, either for profit or for charity
the new sponsors of the world championships
Synonyms
backer
He became a backer of reform at the height of the crisis.
patron
Catherine the Great was a patron of the arts and sciences.
promoter
angel (informal)
guarantor
They told me I needed to find a guarantor to back me.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of finance
Definition
to provide or obtain funds for (a project or large purchase)
new taxes to finance increased military expenditure
Synonyms
fund,
back,
support,
pay for,
guarantee,
float,
invest in,
underwrite,
endow,
subsidize,
bankroll (informal),
set up in business,
provide security for,
provide money for
in the sense of fund
Definition
to provide money to
The foundation has funded a variety of faculty programs.
Synonyms
finance,
back,
support,
pay for,
promote,
float,
endow,
subsidize,
stake,
capitalize,
provide money for,
put up the money for
in the sense of guarantor
Definition
a person who gives or is bound by a guarantee or guaranty
They told me I needed to find a guarantor to back me.
Synonyms
underwriter,
guarantee,
supporter,
sponsor,
voucher,
backer,
surety,
bondsman,
warrantor,
bailsman (rare)
Synonyms of 'sponsor'
sponsor
Explore 'sponsor' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of patron
Definition
a person who financially supports artists, writers, musicians, or charities
Catherine the Great was a patron of the arts and sciences.
Synonyms
supporter,
friend,
champion,
defender,
sponsor,
guardian,
angel (informal),
advocate,
backer,
helper,
protagonist,
protector,
benefactor,
philanthropist
in the sense of patronize
Definition
to be a patron of
Some believe it is not the job of the government to patronize the arts.
Synonyms
support,
promote,
sponsor,
back,
help,
fund,
maintain,
foster,
assist,
subscribe to,
befriend
in the sense of promote
Definition
to work for
His country will do everything possible to promote peace.
Synonyms
help,
back,
support,
further,
develop,
aid,
forward,
champion,
encourage,
advance,
work for,
urge,
boost,
recommend,
sponsor,
foster,
contribute to,
assist,
advocate,
stimulate,
endorse,
prescribe,
speak for,
nurture,
push for,
espouse,
popularize,
gee up
in the sense of subsidize
Definition
to aid or support (an industry, a person, a public service, or a venture) with money