champion 1 of 2

champion

2 of 2

verb

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
Along the way, Oak Lawn knocked off the past two state champions in Lyons and Proviso East. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025 The New York Post reported that the two-time NBA champion moved into his now-former residence in December 2024 and agreed to pay $15,000 on the first of every month in rent. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 3 June 2025
Verb
At the time, the county was pursuing a $1.3 billion monorail line to South Beach under a plan championed by the prior mayor, Carlos Gimenez. Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025 And then, people never championed Black people who like anime. Breanna Davis, Refinery29, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for champion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for champion
Noun
  • Yes, South Florida is a hockey town, home of the champs.
    Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 7 June 2025
  • The champs might need their depth to step up after Jonquel Jones went down with an ankle injury in the matchup against the Washington Mystics.
    Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • The administration's actions, including the revocation of thousands of student visas, have drawn concern over infringements on free speech, while proponents view the move as a long overdue federal response to concerns over antisemitism.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
  • The chief proponent of allowing hemp businesses to operate with further regulations in Springfield, Rep. La Shawn Ford, said lawmakers could not reach agreement over whether to ban or regulate hemp.
    Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Consider buying yours from Flags for Good, which uses minimal packaging during the shipping process and donates a portion of sales to organizations that advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, such as GLAAD and The Trevor Project.
    Elena Valeriote, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • The president said on X the travel ban was being introduced after a terror attack against a pro-Israel group advocating for Hamas to release Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado, last weekend, allegedly by an Egyptian man who had overstayed his visa.
    Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • Tonight’s winner was Purpose, which was written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Phylicia Rashad.
    Melissa Locker, Time, 9 June 2025
  • Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis had the idea for the project after hearing Johnson on NPR.
    McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • Pachuca is roughly 60 miles (90km) north east of Mexico City in the neighbouring state of Hidalgo, but the two sides that its football club’s supporters loathe the most are located in the capital — Club America and Cruz Azul.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 8 June 2025
  • Cyrus' supporters came to her defense after videos of the moment went viral on social media.
    Nicholas Rice, People.com, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • Though the Federalist Society does not formally endorse judicial nominees or take policy positions, its network of legal scholars and alumni played an outsize role in Trump’s first-term appointments, including three Supreme Court justices.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 June 2025
  • In April, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ, two politically powerful local unions, endorsed Cuomo despite having also pressured him to resign in 2021.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • The new numbers might be a little confusing at first, especially for the period of overlap where Apple is actively supporting (say) macOS 14, macOS 15, and macOS 26.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
  • Along with developing a comprehensive rebuilding master plan and supporting the Palisades’ infrastructure reconstruction, AECOM will help coordinate broader public and private rebuilding efforts.
    Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Specifically, your function has to be a polynomial—a combination of variables raised to whole-number exponents and multiplied by coefficients.
    Stephen Ornes, Wired News, 27 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Champion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/champion. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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