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
-
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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
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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:
They will probably sponsor Wimbledon in the next couple of years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 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
The suspects appear to have acted without a buyer or sponsor, said Antonetti.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 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
The only feature of the New World named after a commoner before 1507 seems to have been the Rio de Fonsoa, named after a sponsor of the 1499 expedition.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Those present problems for SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome and the Forum because they have their own advertising deals and sponsors who paid for exclusivity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Several independent groups rate HSA sponsors, among them Morningstar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The new SEC proposals would allow sponsors to operate these vehicles more flexibly.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
And in my case -being one of the star-crossed lovers from District 12 -it's an absolute requirement if I want any more help from sympathetic sponsors.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
She does a couple of sponsored posts a month, prioritising local brands and charities like Age UK who paid her several thousand for a recent campaign.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
President Gerald Ford — then a congressman from Michigan’s onion-growing region — sponsored the Onion Futures Act, which banned onions from futures trading.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
When she nearly miscarries, he convinces her to marry him and move to his company’s sponsored enclave that’s popping with pregnant women like her.
From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2026
The organization also sponsored the job fair on Culver Steps and a networking happy hour for media AI companies in Culver City.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
So it might be a mill or a feed store that sponsored a team.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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
A two-time Oscar-winning supervising sound editor, Baker Landers is vice president of California Post Alliance, the group sponsoring the bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 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
The Daughters of the American Revolution will be sponsoring a blanket drive, a bake sale, a letter-writing campaign, and much more.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
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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.
