champion 1 of 2

noun

ˈcham-pē-ən How to pronounce champion (audio)
Definition of championnext
1
as in champ
the person who comes in first in a competition the champion of the national spelling bee

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

champion

2 of 2

verb

as in to advocate
to promote the interests or cause of he has always championed the protection of abused animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word champion different from other verbs like it?

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

When can advocate be used instead of champion?

The words advocate and champion can be used in similar contexts, but advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

When might back be a better fit than champion?

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

When could support be used to replace champion?

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

Where would uphold be a reasonable alternative to champion?

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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of champion
Noun
The Miami native enters the Hall of Fame after playing high school basketball at Miami Edison High and Gulliver Prep, and then becoming a four-time Olympic gold medalist, eight-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2025 After some tough matchups in the Trader Joe’s Elite Sweets Tournament, one classic emerged as the champion. — Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Known for his progressive views, Booker has championed issues ranging from criminal justice reform to climate action and economic justice. — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025 No, Mike, Trump does not champion the ending of weaponized prosecution. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for champion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for champion
  1. champ
  2. proponent
  3. advocate
  4. winner
  5. supporter
  6. endorse
  7. support
  8. exponent
Noun
  • Erceg handled himself well against Pantoja but lost to the champ by decision in their May 2024 matchup.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Texas opens the 2025 season with lofty expectations after failing to make the playoffs as the reigning World Series champs in the 2024 season, due to injuries and less-than-stellar performances from star players.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of champ
Noun
  • However, proponents believe navel pulling can offer all these benefits and enhance overall vitality.2 Much of this practice is rooted in Ayurveda, an alternative approach to medicine that has existed for thousands of years.
    — Sherri Gordon, Health, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Musk and other autonomous vehicle proponents have pushed for simpler rules and exemptions to restrictions on vehicles that don’t have human controls.
    — Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of proponent
Verb
  • The housing proposals were drawn up by People Acting for Community Together, or PACT, a nonprofit interfaith group made up of some 40 churches, synagogues and mosques in Miami-Dade that advocates for solutions to some of the county’s most pressing social issues.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The rundown included his trivialization of the outbreak, failure to strongly advocate for vaccination, promotion of unproven treatments, like cod liver oil, and delayed responses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which Kennedy controls.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of advocate
Noun
  • Lopez, who recently starred in Netflix films The Mother and Atlas, will appear opposite two-time Ted Lasso Emmy winner Brett Goldstein in the upcoming rom com.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Two other cash prize winners were selected among the 32 CPH:FORUM projects pitched between March 25-27.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of winner
Noun
  • About forty per cent of the graduates of the Army’s infantry officer schools, Peri notes, come from the dati leumi, or nationalist Orthodox minority, many of them extremist yeshiva students and supporters of settlements.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The good news for supporters of seven of the Premier League’s 20 clubs is that their lads will play for a trip to Wembley Stadium in next month’s FA Cup semi-finals at some point over the weekend.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of supporter
Verb
  • It’s endorsed by dentists all over the country and delivers a powerful clean.
    — Christopher Murray, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Queen Camilla and King Charles honor Mark's legacy today by serving as the Elephant Family's joint presidents, with Eugenie and Fergie endorsing in patronage roles.
    — Janine Henni, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of endorse
Verb
  • The survey, conducted in late March among 1,500 voters, found that, while 83% of Democrats support financial assistance to Kyiv, 79% of Republicans oppose it.
    — Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The organization supports the youth of St. Thomas through basketball mentorships.
    — Emily Blackwood, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of support
Noun
  • That would have given him more complicated Taylor approximations, with exponents greater than 2.
    — Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Finding Wiggle Room There is no fast, general purpose method for finding the minima of functions raised to high exponents.
    — Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of exponent

Browse Nearby Words

champing at the bit
champion
championed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Champion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/champion. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on champion

Nglish: Translation of champion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about champion

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