1
as in champs
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 proponents
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 advocates
to promote the interests or cause of
he has always championed the protection of abused animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of champions
Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
And to the extent that there's no debate over the team crowned as national champions, it's worked.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
This only champions the continuing need for the Rooney Rule.
—Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
Four champions of Florida’s environment will be part of an Orlando Sentinel discussion Thursday evening to discuss key challenges facing our state and area.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Week 1 will begin on a Wednesday this year, as the defending Super Bowl champions will play a day early to accommodate the league’s first ever regular season game in Australia, which will take place the next day.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
The prestigious award was presented to them by fellow fathers Elton John and David Furnish, who are longtime champions of LGBTQ+ equality and family affirmation.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
The crowds that once packed Laurel Park dressed in their best to watch champions like Secretariat and Seabiscuit have long since disappeared.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
While China’s central government has for years complained about US export controls on advanced technology, Beijing also wants to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductors and boost domestic champions like Huawei Technologies Co.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Time, 12 May 2026
As a former economist and investment banker—and a lesbian who is raising two boys with her partner, a Sri Lankan woman—Weidel has often been described as an unlikely figure to lead a party that champions traditional values and tight border controls.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
His ambitious philanthropic pursuits included founding the Turner Foundation, which champions environmentalism.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Tavira was then earmarked as a place which would suit the Marugal ethos, which champions the local setting of each of their hotels, treating them as standalone properties which reflect the heritage and culture of their immediate area, rather than standardized as part of an international chain.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Kat Chan, nutritionist and author of Substack’s Full Serving, champions it as one of the most grounding ways to start the day, particularly in colder months.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
Crosswell has secured a series of high-profile endorsements, including from the VoteVets political action group, which champions Democratic political candidates.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Hotel Naru also champions a community-centric approach.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Organizing consultant Marie Kondo also champions the benefits of a tidy workspace.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Noun
The defending champions are 8-3 in those games.
—Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
And to the extent that there's no debate over the team crowned as national champions, it's worked.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
This only champions the continuing need for the Rooney Rule.
—Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
Four champions of Florida’s environment will be part of an Orlando Sentinel discussion Thursday evening to discuss key challenges facing our state and area.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Week 1 will begin on a Wednesday this year, as the defending Super Bowl champions will play a day early to accommodate the league’s first ever regular season game in Australia, which will take place the next day.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
The prestigious award was presented to them by fellow fathers Elton John and David Furnish, who are longtime champions of LGBTQ+ equality and family affirmation.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
The crowds that once packed Laurel Park dressed in their best to watch champions like Secretariat and Seabiscuit have long since disappeared.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
While China’s central government has for years complained about US export controls on advanced technology, Beijing also wants to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductors and boost domestic champions like Huawei Technologies Co.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Verb
Depicting grief after two great family losses, Kennedy navigates mental health, champions the power of therapy, and brings back together a couple who thought their relationship was broken beyond repair.
—Time, 12 May 2026
As a former economist and investment banker—and a lesbian who is raising two boys with her partner, a Sri Lankan woman—Weidel has often been described as an unlikely figure to lead a party that champions traditional values and tight border controls.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
His ambitious philanthropic pursuits included founding the Turner Foundation, which champions environmentalism.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Tavira was then earmarked as a place which would suit the Marugal ethos, which champions the local setting of each of their hotels, treating them as standalone properties which reflect the heritage and culture of their immediate area, rather than standardized as part of an international chain.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Kat Chan, nutritionist and author of Substack’s Full Serving, champions it as one of the most grounding ways to start the day, particularly in colder months.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
Crosswell has secured a series of high-profile endorsements, including from the VoteVets political action group, which champions Democratic political candidates.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Hotel Naru also champions a community-centric approach.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Organizing consultant Marie Kondo also champions the benefits of a tidy workspace.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for champions
Noun
-
Three playoff teams, the defending champs, and road games in extremely tough environments at Wisconsin and Penn State.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Thunder reserve guard Jared McCain, a former Corona Centennial High standout, scored eight of his 18 points in the third quarter as the champs were able to lean on their ninth man without Gilgeous-Alexander on the court and take a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Its proponents believe nuclear power could address a wide range of problems.—
Krisztian Elcsics,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
The entrenchment of those supply chains may have been underestimated by proponents of nearshoring and onshoring, while the impacts of higher tariffs may have been overestimated.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Osechkin; Lithuanian activist Valdas Bartkevičius; and Ruslan Gabbasov, who advocates for independence for the Russian region of Bashkortostan.—
Emma Burrows,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
For over a decade Aerie has promoted the #Aerie Real campaign, which advocates for body positivity and celebrates real people with real skin, stretch marks and skin bumps.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The game has already produced seven winners in 2026, including a rapid stretch in late April and early May when four jackpots were claimed in just four days, underscoring how quickly fortunes have turned this year.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
Hernandez, now a Southern Section champion again, along with all the other winners will move onto the CIF preliminaries next Saturday to face the rest of the state's top female jumpers, with a chance to get back to the state finals.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
While the emotional weight of a mother defending her child is undeniable, supporters of Save Girls’ Sports argue compassion for one athlete should not come at the expense of opportunities for other young women.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
In recent months, McCann and a team of supporters, including many public school teachers, have knocked on hundreds of doors, arguing that McCann is the candidate who most supports public education, including the state’s flagship public university, which is located in her district.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The day before, Bulgaria got a new premier who has praised Orbán and endorses many of his positions.—
Slav Okov,
Bloomberg,
11 May 2026
-
In San Diego County Supervisor District 4 — which includes much of central San Diego, La Mesa and Spring Valley — the Union-Tribune Editorial Board endorses former La Mesa Councilmember Kristine Alessio.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
This movement, known as critical legal studies, was associated with the political left, and its exponents, known as crits, loved to disparage liberal theorists’ devotion to the Constitution as naïve and counterproductive.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Of course, Huang wasn’t talking to just anyone, but one of the chief exponents of the wealth tax, nationwide and in California.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Champions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/champions. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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