champion
1 of 2noun
cham·pi·on ˈcham-pē-ən 
1
: a winner of first prize or first place in competition
a tennis champion
also : one who shows marked superiority
a champion at selling
2
: a militant advocate or defender
a champion of civil rights
3
: warrior, fighter
a champion of his king
4
: one that does battle for another's rights or honor
God will raise me up a champion
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scottchampion
2 of 2verb
championed; championing; champions
transitive verb
1
: to act as militant supporter of : uphold, advocate
always champions the cause of the underdog
2
: to protect or fight for as a champion
championed the ladies chivalrously in the tilts
3
archaic : challenge, defy
Synonyms
Noun
- champ
- titleholder
- titlist
- victor
- winner
Verb
- advocate
- back
- endorse
- indorse
- patronize
- plump (for)
- plunk (for)
- plonk (for)
- support
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun the heavyweight boxing champion of the world Our team will play the defending champions next week. the newly crowned national champions He was a champion for the working classes. Verb She is a lawyer who champions children's rights. Our senator championed the idea of lowering taxes. See More
Recent Examples on the Web al, 16 Sep. 2022 The 23-time Grand Slam champion also paid homage to Federer, 41, on her Instagram Story, posting photos of the two on the court together. Amethyst Tate, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2022 Hagestad, the 8th ranked amateur player in the world and defending tournament champion, was bested on the final hole of his round of 16 match against Persons. Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 Defending Mabee champion Going to Vegas (Prat) finished third, giving trainer Phil D’Amato a 2-3 finish. San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 In other action, Luka Doncic scored 35 points and defending champion Slovenia used a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to eliminate Belgium, 88-72. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2022 Tiafoe managed two stunning upsets before losing to Alcaraz, toppling 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, and Russia's Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. CBS News, 10 Sep. 2022 Defending national champion, Georgia, moves up to No. 2 after destroying Oregon in its opening game. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Most importantly — and this has happened more recently for him than ever— Kyrgios won, eliminating defending U.S. Open champion and No. Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Sarah Spellings, Vogue, 1 July 2022 The party faithful will want to hear how both candidates plan to champion the unity of the UK and head off support for her nationalists. Ellen Milligan, Bloomberg.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey both received Emmy nominations on Tuesday morning — and were thrilled to champion each other's success. Kelly Wynne, PEOPLE.com, 12 July 2022 After the collapse of the Qing and the founding of a nationalist republic in 1912, Wang continued to champion the Beijing dialect used by imperial officials as the standard form of the language. Hugo Restall, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 Trump has continued to champion Putin at the expense of Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 presidential election. Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 Throughout 2021, Brooks has continued to champion efforts to get adults in her community vaccinated, and now those efforts include children. al, 22 Dec. 2021 CEOs can no longer take a backseat to workplace culture and expect HR and management to champion it alone. Heidi Lynne Kurter, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021 Pushing forward with privatisation displays a disappointing willingness to ignore the very real concerns of those who are embedded in, work for and champion the creative industries, and strong public sentiment. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 June 2022 See More
Noun
Auburn is on its third of five consecutive home games to open the season before its first road game against defending national champion, the University of Georgia. al, 16 Sep. 2022 The 23-time Grand Slam champion also paid homage to Federer, 41, on her Instagram Story, posting photos of the two on the court together. Amethyst Tate, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2022 Hagestad, the 8th ranked amateur player in the world and defending tournament champion, was bested on the final hole of his round of 16 match against Persons. Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 Defending Mabee champion Going to Vegas (Prat) finished third, giving trainer Phil D’Amato a 2-3 finish. San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 In other action, Luka Doncic scored 35 points and defending champion Slovenia used a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to eliminate Belgium, 88-72. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2022 Tiafoe managed two stunning upsets before losing to Alcaraz, toppling 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, and Russia's Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. CBS News, 10 Sep. 2022 Defending national champion, Georgia, moves up to No. 2 after destroying Oregon in its opening game. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Most importantly — and this has happened more recently for him than ever— Kyrgios won, eliminating defending U.S. Open champion and No. Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Verb
Their first goal is to champion these designers, including Christopher John Rogers, Jonathan Cohen, Brandon Maxwell, and Monse. Sarah Spellings, Vogue, 1 July 2022 The party faithful will want to hear how both candidates plan to champion the unity of the UK and head off support for her nationalists. Ellen Milligan, Bloomberg.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey both received Emmy nominations on Tuesday morning — and were thrilled to champion each other's success. Kelly Wynne, PEOPLE.com, 12 July 2022 After the collapse of the Qing and the founding of a nationalist republic in 1912, Wang continued to champion the Beijing dialect used by imperial officials as the standard form of the language. Hugo Restall, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 Trump has continued to champion Putin at the expense of Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 presidential election. Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 Throughout 2021, Brooks has continued to champion efforts to get adults in her community vaccinated, and now those efforts include children. al, 22 Dec. 2021 CEOs can no longer take a backseat to workplace culture and expect HR and management to champion it alone. Heidi Lynne Kurter, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021 Pushing forward with privatisation displays a disappointing willingness to ignore the very real concerns of those who are embedded in, work for and champion the creative industries, and strong public sentiment. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin campion-, campio, of West Germanic origin; akin to Old English cempa warrior
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Verb
circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing champion
Kids Definition
champion 1 of 2
noun
cham·pi·on ˈcham-pē-ən
1
: a person who fights or speaks for another person or in favor of a cause
a champion of equal rights
2
: a person accepted as better than all others in a sport or in a game of skill
3
: the winner of first place in a competition
champion
2 of 2verb
championed; championing
: to fight or speak publicly in support of
championing a cause
champion 1 of 2
noun
1
as in champ
the person who comes in first in a competition the champion of the national spelling bee Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- champ
- winner
- medalist
- titlist
- titleholder
- victor
- superstar
- medallist
- finalist
- cochampion
- semifinalist
- placer
- cowinner
- quarterfinalist
- star
- prizewinner
- megastar
- world-beater
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loser
2
as in proponent
a person who actively supports or favors a cause she's the biggest champion of budget reform in the Congress Synonyms & Similar Words
- proponent
- advocate
- supporter
- advocator
- promoter
- exponent
- protagonist
- booster
- friend
- apostle
- paladin
- high priest
- stalwart
- white knight
- herald
- true believer
- gospeller
- espouser
- hierophant
- tub-thumper
- expounder
- loyalist
- backer
- adherent
- gospeler
- cheerleader
- partizan
- disciple
- interpreter
- partisan
- cohort
- follower
- encourager
- fellow traveler
- applauder
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- opponent
- enemy
- adversary
- antagonist
- foe
- rival
- critic
- faultfinder
- belittler
champion
2 of 2verb
as in to advocate
to promote the interests or cause of he has always championed the protection of abused animals Synonyms & Similar Words
- advocate
- endorse
- support
- back
- embrace
- adopt
- patronize
- aid
- help
- assist
- plump (for)
- stick up for
- second
- reinforce
- go to bat for
- indorse
- stand up for
- plonk (for)
- espouse
- hold a brief for
- save
- plunk (for)
- rescue
- bolster
- forward
- backstop
- preach
- go in for
- buttress
- further
- boost
- abet
- advance
- bail out
- reenforce
- side (with)
- plug
- talk up
- prop (up)
- deliver
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- oppose
- thwart
- interfere
- sabotage
- frustrate
- foil
- fail
- disappoint
- let down
- baffle
- desert
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of champion are advocate, back, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.
championed the rights of children
The words advocate and champion can be used in similar contexts, but advocate stresses urging or pleading.
advocated prison reform
Although the words back and champion have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.
refusing to back the call for sanctions
In some situations, the words support and champion are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.
supports waterfront development
While the synonyms uphold and champion are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.
upheld the legitimacy of the military action
- graphic
- graphic accent
- graphic arts
- graphic design
- graphic designer
- graphic equalizer
- intergeneric
- intergenomal
- interglacial
- interglacials
- interglyph
- intergovernmental
- intergradation
- intergradational
- intergradations
- intergrade
- intergraded
- intergrades
- intergrading
- intergraft
- intergrafted
- intergrafting
- intergrafts
- intergranular
- intergrave