champion

noun

cham·pi·on | \ ˈcham-pē-ən

Definition of champion

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : warrior, fighter a champion of his king

2 : a militant advocate or defender a champion of civil rights

3 : one that does battle for another's rights or honor God will raise me up a champion— Sir Walter Scott

4 : a winner of first prize or first place in competition a tennis champion also : one who shows marked superiority a champion at selling

champion

verb

championed; championing; champions

Definition of champion (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 archaic : challenge, defy

2 : to protect or fight for as a champion championed the ladies chivalrously in the tilts

3 : to act as militant supporter of : uphold, advocate always champions the cause of the underdog

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about champion

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Choose the Right Synonym for champion

Verb

support, uphold, advocate, back, champion mean to favor actively one that meets opposition. support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given. supports waterfront development uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. upheld the legitimacy of the military action advocate stresses urging or pleading. advocated prison reform back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling. refusing to back the call for sanctions champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause. championed the rights of children

Examples of champion in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The Marine Division has Santana, Ramona, Mira Mesa, San Marcos, 2018 champion Patrick Henry, San Pasqual, Scripps Ranch, Mount Miguel, Monte Vista and Bonita Vista. — Chadd Cady, San Diego Union-Tribune, "American Legion Baseball shows growth in second season," 7 June 2019 Lobby to get every Power 5 champion a seat at the table. — Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, "How CU Buffs coach Mel Tucker would fix what ails the Pac-12," 7 June 2019 Norwegian maestro Caroline Graham Hansen will be playing her club football for 2019 Champions League finalists Barcelona next season after recently securing a dream transfer from perennial German domestic champions Wolfsburg. — SI.com, "2019 Women's World Cup: Picking an All-Star European XI From Players at the Tournament," 7 June 2019 The next year the Bears won the West Division with a 10-2-1 record, earning the right to meet the East champion Giants, who went 11-3. — Will Larkin, chicagotribune.com, "Ranking the 100 best Bears players ever: No. 91, Bill Karr," 7 June 2019 In the state tournament, Katy defeated four-time state champion Keller 1-0 and avenged a loss earlier in the season to state runnerup Klein with an 8-2 victory in the title game. — Roy Kent, Houston Chronicle, "In pictures: Katy Lady Tigers cap season with 6A title," 7 June 2019 Buzz: Pitched a perfect game with 17 strikeouts in district semifinals to help send eventual Class 9A state champion Seminole to region tournament for first time since 2001. — J.c. Carnahan, orlandosentinel.com, "Seminole High’s Matt Allan leads Sentinel baseball all-area teams," 7 June 2019 Previously: In search of state title, No. 1 Male softball team will turn to ace Kelsie Houchens Seventh Region champion and No. — Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, "KHSAA postpones Kentucky's state softball tournament until next week," 7 June 2019 There was no statement from the three-time national champion coach anywhere in it. — oregonlive.com, "Canzano: Tangled times in Corvallis -- Oregon State AD boxed in by baseball hire," 6 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Nonprofit organizations that champion local food in the community will also be on hand. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Birmingham Whole Foods Market hosts local food event," 7 June 2019 As McMillon championed a higher minimum wage, longtime Walmart critic, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, took his 2020 presidential campaign to the meeting. — Matthew Boyle, Fortune, "Walmart CEO Calls for Raising the Federal Minimum Wage," 5 June 2019 Her successor will likely take a similar line; few championing the possibility of a prosperous post-Brexit Britain do not see the U.S. as part of the equation. — NBC News, "This is what the U.S. wants from the U.K. before it will sign a trade deal," 3 June 2019 In 1919, Bauhaus—a design school championing functional design (geometric shapes, sharp lines, and essential forms)—was founded in Weimar, Germany. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "Lutz Morris and KPM Launch a Bauhaus-Themed Collection That Will Have Art Lovers and Aesthetes Swooning," 31 May 2019 The rest of the team was in attendance, along with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who wore a Capitals Stanley Cup champions hat. — Bloomberg.com, "Trump Hosts Stanley Cup Champion Capitals at White House," 25 Mar. 2019 McGrath and Regan began championing the cause and tried to get the police foundation to go along. — Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, "Groups split over whether to revive Boston’s mounted police unit," 6 July 2018 Weld said his advocacy will likely find appeal among conservatives who champion state laws to regulate issues without federal interference. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "John Boehner was a longtime opponent of marijuana reform. Here's what changed his mind," 11 Apr. 2018 According to the Guardian, the music festival was a fundraiser supporting avalanche safety, a cause Trudeau has championed since the death of his brother Michel in an avalanche in 1998. — Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, "Woman who accused Trudeau of groping issues statement," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'champion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.