champion
noun
a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place.
champion
1 American
[cham-pee-uhn]
/ ˈtʃæm pi ən /
noun
-
champions
plural
-
a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place.
the heavyweight boxing champion.
- Antonyms:
- loser
-
anything that takes first place in competition.
the champion of a cattle show.
-
an animal that has won a certain number of points in officially recognized shows.
This dog is a champion.
-
a person who fights for or defends any person or cause.
a champion of the oppressed.
-
a fighter or warrior.
verb (used with object)
-
champions,
present (3rd person singular)
-
championed,
past participle, past
-
championing
present participle
adjective
-
first among all contestants or competitors.
-
Informal. first-rate.
Champion
2
American
[cham-pee-uhn]
/ ˈtʃæm pi ən /
noun
champion
British
/ ˈtʃæmpɪən /
noun
-
-
a person who has defeated all others in a competition
a chess champion
-
( as modifier )
a champion team
-
-
-
a plant or animal that wins first place in a show, etc
-
( as modifier )
a champion marrow
-
-
a person who defends a person or cause
champion of the underprivileged
-
(formerly) a warrior or knight who did battle for another, esp a king or queen, to defend their rights or honour
adjective
adverb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonchampionnoun
-
championlessadjective
-
championlikeadjective
-
prechampionedadjective
-
unchampionedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
championsimple
-
championssimple
-
have championedperfect
-
has championedperfect
-
am championingprogressive
-
are championingprogressive
-
is championingprogressive
-
have been championingperfect progressive
-
has been championingperfect progressive
Past
-
championedsimple
-
had championedperfect
-
was championingprogressive
-
were championingprogressive
-
had been championingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of champion
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin campiōn-, stem of campiō “combatant in an arena duel,” from West Germanic kampiōn- (unrecorded); equivalent to Latin camp(us) “field, battlefield” + -iō, noun suffix; compare Old English cempa “warrior”
Explanation
A champion is a winner, or someone who's really good at something. If you are a champion chess player, you are a superstar! When crowds sing Queen's "We Are the Champions" at football games, they are celebrating the fact that their team won. Champion comes from the Latin word campionem for "gladiator, fighter." Rarr! No need to grab your sword, but a champion is also a person who fights for a cause. If you are the champion of fundraising, you keep pushing to raise money. As a verb, to champion means to protect or fight for something. You champion your little brother by defending him against meanies — no matter what, you are always on his side.
Vocabulary lists containing champion
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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:
Community champion Matthew Wright said the restoration project had been "enormous" with lots of people involved.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The NBA Cup just produced its first NBA champion, with the New York Knicks becoming the first team to win the regular-season tournament and the NBA title in the same season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Olympic champion Hodgkinson broke the 800m indoor record in February, which had stood since 2002, crossing the line in 1:54.87.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
He was surrounded by his beloved longtime partner, children, grandchildren and dog, he said, in a room filled with photos and quotes of his longtime hero, boxing champion, Muhammad Ali.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Bronstein had tied Botvinnik in their 1951 match for the World Championship, but Botvinnik retained the title as sitting champion.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Champion canoeist David "Davey" Hearn told the BBC that he did not do anything wrong, and was simply touching the peeling paint.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
The Make Great Plays staff created five awards, one of each going to students in every grade: Inclusion Hero, Unity Champion, Global Ambassador, Hope Maker and Pathfinder.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026
Champion, who chairs the international development committee, said military officials believe the "best line of prevention and first defence is our development money", as she warned the cuts could have "massive consequences".
From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026
It put Biblical Studies into a tournament semifinal against Champion Christian, a No. 1 powerhouse, ranked atop the entire NCCAA.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
Against a former World Champion who was known to be one of the most difficult to defeat, Bobby had won five games, drawn three, and lost one, for a total score of 6½–2½.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
He took over midway through the 2001-02 season, famously saying he would make them champions the following year.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Koch, Inc. has a distinct advantage here: Its various leaders have an exemplar in the elder Mr. Koch, who champions the principles while modeling them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The back-to-back European champions could become only the second team to win three consecutive Champions Leagues this season.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
“We test champions against the challengers against the champion,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Gaines could take the untied, undefeated 1972 Mojo state champions and play Lee’s worst team, and Gaines would lose.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Zhu Rongji, China's former premier who died on Wednesday aged 97, championed free-market policies and delivered far-reaching economic reforms during his five years at the helm.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
"We have long championed the regeneration of Oxford Street and strongly support efforts to strengthen its global appeal."
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Bestselling nonfiction writer Michael Pollan, a former teacher of Hackney’s at Harvard who championed her work, said he can’t help but compare her account of Appalachia to the vice president’s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
He has championed the success of his own Far East Plaza by inviting in a new wave of restaurant tenants like Lasita.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Not every demonstrator had the self-control to obey the discipline of nonviolent resistance championed by Dr. King.
From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman
But several of the acts championing $20 tickets are juggernauts on the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
In 2011 she was appointed an OBE for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes".
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
On a summer afternoon, his daughters, Gabrielle and Katerina, sit at the Sunset Marquis bar, recounting their father’s remarkable life — particularly his championing of soccer and his contributions to the sport.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Among Western companies, France's Mistral stands largely alone in championing open models.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
They wouldn’t remember that my picture was there because of my fervor in championing Mr. Muhammad.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
