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:
Division 2 champion Corona del Mar, which brings back every starter but one, including player of the year Addison Stern and receivers Mia Balabanian and AnnaSofia Dickens.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Called a “working class” champion by the United Auto Workers, El-Sayed performed best in wealthier, higher-educated areas of the state.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Several high-profile athletes were owed payments over £100,000, including British former world 1500m champion Josh Kerr and 2024 Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Doyle has called Frick one of her “dearest friends,” writing that through “countless rebirths and untamings,” Frick has been her “constant champion, advocate and ambassador.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
He was also given access to the Church’s personal trainer, Harry Sneider, a former weight-lifting champion who took a special interest in Bobby.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
He picked up a rosette for "Supreme Champion, Oldest Handler" for his efforts.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The fund known as Champ—an acronym for Champion Athlete Managing Partner—and a handful of other investors are putting nearly $50 million in Rhoback, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Mullins is a 19-time Irish National Hunt Champion trainer and launched late charges in the past two years to take the British title for the first time.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 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
Fischer had not only retained his title as United States Champion, he’d accomplished something unprecedented: For the third year in a row, he’d marched to the title without being defeated in any of the pairings.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Former champions were highlighted alongside what Dorsey hopes are their future champions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
League champions Liverpool showed their class with a 10-goal demolition of Fulham.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
June 2027: Should they not feature in the play-offs because of Uefa's boycott, European teams - including defending champions Spain - would not be able to participate in the Women's World Cup.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
They are seven-time Turkish champions, won the Super Lig as recently as 2021-22 and lifted last season's Turkish Cup.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
This was the last fight between the two great champions, as all the immortals knew.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
With a few posts, they alienated the very supporters who championed them as living proof of redemption.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 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
Meanwhile, colleges in recent decades have championed what is called “experiential learning,” encouraging students to do the hands-on work that will teach them the practical job skills they can’t learn in traditional classroom settings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Since creating a bureau to focus on human rights in 1977, the State Department has championed human rights and democracy in more than 100 countries.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
It is confusing that my family was not the poor to be championed.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Instead of championing competition and openness, the U.S. is inching toward tech protectionism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
But it’s still built like a tasteful record store with hi-res audio and downloads, no ad tier, and a glossy music magazine championing outsider acts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
The proposal, which parliament had been due to vote on on June 15, had been met with fierce criticism in a country known for championing children's rights.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
The Conservative candidate for the Makerfield by-election has promised to dedicate his time to championing the community rather than using the contest as a "stepping stone".
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
"My lady, I beg the boon of championing your cause."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
