champion

1 of 2

noun

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

champion

2 of 2

verb

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
• winner

Verb

• advocate
• endorse
• support

Choose the Right Synonym for champion

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

Ben Rhodes, the two-time series champion, crashed into the wall on Lap 3 with heavy contact as his back bumper got into the tire barrier, bringing out the first caution — and only natural one until the final laps of regulation — of the race. —Shane Connuck october 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025

Along the way, her opponents have been many and varied, from world champions in the ring to a professional boxing ban in her native country and those who believed that women had no place in the sport at all. —George Ramsay, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025

Verb

Twenty years later, Iraq War veteran Aaron Hughes continues spreading his realization that soldiers can better champion American ideals by following their conscience over orders. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025

The film, shot in the sort of seemingly improvisational, realistic style championed by John Cassavetes, may be too raw for mainstream consumption, but deservingly snagged the festival’s award for Best First Feature. —Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025

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

• co-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

2

: the winner of first prize or first place in a competition

also : one showing superior skill or ability

champion

2 of 2 verb

: to protect or fight for as a champion