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
as in to advocate
to promote the interests or cause of
he has always championed the protection of abused animals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of champion
Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
The Dolphins, the Los Angeles City Section champions, hadn’t won a City Championship since 2020.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
Through its efforts to champion new stars like Junior and Cano, Rancho Humilde helped to popularize the style; Junior and Cano’s 2019 collaborative album with Don Sanchez — simply titled Corridos Tumbados — was a key moment in the subgenre’s emergence.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for champion
Noun
The winner between University and Del Mar will become the state’s first Division IV champion.
—Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
The Dolphins, the Los Angeles City Section champions, hadn’t won a City Championship since 2020.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
To champion a mine in its desert while seeking to cripple the state around it is to secure a single castle while flooding the kingdom.
—Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
Through its efforts to champion new stars like Junior and Cano, Rancho Humilde helped to popularize the style; Junior and Cano’s 2019 collaborative album with Don Sanchez — simply titled Corridos Tumbados — was a key moment in the subgenre’s emergence.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for champion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for champion
Noun
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Their annual coronation as Big East champs is expected Monday night.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
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Mater Dei Catholic;27-7;Open Division champs return six starters;1 2.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Now, the hospital, which treats mostly people involved with the justice system, is expanding to alleviate the county’s overlapping mental health and homelessness crisis, in what proponents described as a more compassionate approach than in the past.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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But if that money isn’t enough, or if the proponents don’t identify any programs to cut, the ballot language would have to include a warning that the proposal would likely require cuts to Medicaid and school funding.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 29-year-old is now set to compete in her second Winter Paralympics and is advocating for the next generation of athletes.—
Elissa Candiotti,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Despite some of the forest being removed, the group continued to advocate for the forest for several years until the movement started to die off around 2022, Nichols said.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize.—
Staff Reports,
The Providence Journal,
7 Mar. 2026
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For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One of the biggest flashpoints came in November when Van de Ven and Djed Spence walked straight down the tunnel without acknowledging the supporters after a 1-0 defeat at home by rivals Chelsea.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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And yet Hezbollah’s choice to plunge the country into war has fractured the group, which is now facing backlash from its own supporters, and from the Lebanese government.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump has endorsed a GOP primary challenger to Massie, Ed Gallrein.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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Fuentes has offered Fishback’s more positive poll results as proof of the strength of his own following, the Groypers, while declining to endorse him in an effort to stanch the candidate’s toxicity.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mahan, who recently entered the race and is supported by Silicon Valley leaders, has quickly raised millions of dollars, as have two independent expenditures committees backing his bid.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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According to a preliminary survey conducted by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) this week, 81% of the Israeli public supports the Iran strikes, while 63% of those surveyed believe the campaign should continue until the Iranian regime falls.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This is an unusual position for an exponent of the public sphere and communicative rationality to take.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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The development of her own particular free indirect discourse form of writing culminated in her position as an early exponent of the Modernist short story.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Champion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/champion. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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