sponsor
Americannoun
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sponsors
plural
-
a person who vouches or is responsible for a person or thing.
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a person, firm, organization, etc., that finances and buys the time to broadcast a radio or television program so as to advertise a product, a political party, etc.
- Synonyms:
- advertiser
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a person who makes a pledge or promise on behalf of another.
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Christianity. a person who promises to mentor a youth or new convert preparing for confirmation or initiation, or who answers for an infant at baptism.
verb (used with object)
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sponsors,
present (3rd person singular)
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sponsored,
past participle, past
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sponsoring
present participle
noun
-
-
a commercial organization that pays all or part of the cost of putting on a concert, sporting event, etc
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a person who donates money to a charity when the person requesting the donation has performed a specified activity as part of an organized fund-raising effort
-
-
a person or business firm that pays the costs of a radio or television programme in return for advertising time
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a legislator who presents and supports a bill, motion, etc
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Also called: godparent.
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an authorized witness who makes the required promises on behalf of a person to be baptized and thereafter assumes responsibility for his Christian upbringing
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a person who presents a candidate for confirmation
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-
a person who undertakes responsibility for the actions, statements, obligations, etc, of another, as during a period of apprenticeship; guarantor
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sponsorsimple
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sponsorssimple
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have sponsoredperfect
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has sponsoredperfect
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am sponsoringprogressive
-
are sponsoringprogressive
-
is sponsoringprogressive
-
have been sponsoringperfect progressive
-
has been sponsoringperfect progressive
Past
-
sponsoredsimple
-
had sponsoredperfect
-
was sponsoringprogressive
-
were sponsoringprogressive
-
had been sponsoringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sponsor
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin spōnsor “guarantor,” equivalent to spond(ēre) “to pledge” + -tor -tor, with dt becoming s
Explanation
A sponsor provides support for someone or something, typically by supplying cash. Because your company is a sponsor for a homeless organization, they provide funding for the annual 5K run to raise money for the shelter. The word sponsor stems from the Latin word spondre, meaning "give assurance, promise solemnly." A sponsor might support an important issue such as cancer research or education, or a sponsor might take responsibility for someone. You might be your brother's sponsor so he can join your exclusive chess group. Sponsor has a verb form to describe the action of supporting or leading something. You can sponsor a nonprofit arts organization by donating and participating on the board.
Vocabulary lists containing sponsor
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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Iroquois Constitution
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
New York Times product-review site Wirecutter is looking beyond affiliate revenue with new editorial formats and franchises that marketers can sponsor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The Art + Film Gala is also a high-fashion affair: This year, Gucci is the presenting sponsor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Also ask whether he is acting as a fiduciary in recommending this particular investment and whether he or his firm has any financial relationship with the sponsor.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
UAE airline Etihad Airways, City's main sponsor, said earlier this week that it was considering legal action against the Premier League.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Soon it is May and still we have no sponsor.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
The new SEC proposals would allow sponsors to operate these vehicles more flexibly.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Changes in sponsors can also leave athletes with clothing they can no longer wear.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
The State Department vets applicants and approves sponsors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
After monitoring practice, debriefing his team and entertaining sponsors under the floodlights, he winds down for bed around 3:30 a.m., which is 9:30 p.m. back in central Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Unexpectedly, the quizzes proved wildly popular, though not in the spirit the sponsors might have hoped.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Financial support came from the Chen Yong Foundation of the Zhongmei Group, a sponsored research project from Myelogene Inc., the L.K.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
But the BBC has spoken to a number of people who claim they were promised training and support to secure sponsored healthcare jobs that never became available to apply for.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Gehlen, who was sponsored by the Americans, volunteered a trove of intelligence on the Soviet Union amassed under the Nazis and went on to recruit members of the SS and the Gestapo who evaded denazification.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
It was sponsored by the Karuk Tribe and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, which said state agencies should be required to consider tribes when making water policy decisions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Oh! Are you Marjorie Bishampton's youngest, here for the sponsored spelling bee?”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
On Tuesday, the gender and sexuality studies program is sponsoring a town hall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
State-owned bodies are not banned from sponsoring clubs under Premier League rules.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Lastly, the law allows plans to include language permitting workers old enough to be subject to RMDs to skip them while working for the company sponsoring the plan.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
Some companies may have also remained on the register because they were approved before July 2025 or are sponsoring workers who were already in the UK.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
“I ran into Ryan’s mom the other day and she was telling me all the fun things the community center is sponsoring for kids this summer,” Mom says.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
