chump

noun

ˈchəmp 

plural chumps

informal : a person who is easily tricked : a stupid or foolish person

When you get down to it, he's a sucker. A chump. He's spent more time and money on me in six weeks than all the men I've known put together.

—Terry McMillan

see also chump change

Synonyms of chump

• sucker
• patsy

Examples of chump in a Sentence

the guy trying to unload that used car must have thought that I was a chump

Recent Examples on the Web

Dutton is reluctant at first but soon unleashes his fists on two chumps to the tune of $420. — Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2025

In the space of less than two weeks, the Boston Red Sox have gone from chumps to, if not champs, at least contenders. — Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025

Maybe the Trumps are right and my family boasts a lot of chumps, sending six men off to World War II alone. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026

Among Cederquist’s chump-change payoffs, in addition to the candy, were bottled water, a snow blower and a granite mailbox. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps blend of chunk and lump

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chump

• chump change

Rhymes for chump

• bump
• clump
• crump
• dump
• gump
• hump
• jump
• lump
• plump
• pump
• rump
• slump

Kids Definition

chump

noun

ˈchəmp 

informal

: fool entry 1 sense 1, dupe