CHAMPION Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'champion' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of champion are advocate , back , support , and uphold . While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause. // championed the rights of children

Q: When can 'advocate' be used instead of 'champion'?

The words advocate and champion can be used in similar contexts, but advocate stresses urging or pleading. // advocated prison reform

Q: When might 'back' be a better fit than 'champion'?

Although the words back and champion have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling. // refusing to back the call for sanctions

Q: When could 'support' be used to replace 'champion'?

In some situations, the words support and champion are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given. // supports waterfront development

Q: Where would 'uphold' be a reasonable alternative to 'champion'?

While the synonyms uphold and champion are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. // upheld the legitimacy of the military action

champion 1 of 2

noun

ˈcham-pē-ən

Definition of champion next

as in champ

the person who comes in first in a competition the champion of the national spelling bee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loser

as in proponent

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

champion

2 of 2

verb

as in to advocate

to promote the interests or cause of he has always championed the protection of abused animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word champion different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of champion are advocate, back, support, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When can advocate be used instead of champion?

The words advocate and champion can be used in similar contexts, but advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

When might back be a better fit than champion?

Although the words back and champion have much in common, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When could support be used to replace champion?

In some situations, the words support and champion are roughly equivalent. However, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

Where would uphold be a reasonable alternative to champion?

While the synonyms uphold and champion are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of champion

Noun

With two distinct waves of iPhone 18 handsets arriving, Apple can leverage this to their advantage, bringing more users to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max handsets, disrupting Android’s Mobile World Congress launch cycle, and giving the iPhone 18 a clear run as its consumer-friendly champion. —

Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne flattened former UFC champion Junior dos Santos with a brutal first-round knockout. —

Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026

Verb

The two-term senator has touted his work helping pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, negotiating the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and championing healthcare. —

Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 16 May 2026 In the latest round of budget offers Thursday evening, the House didn’t include money for two programs championed by first lady Casey DeSantis — a cancer research innovation fund and a food testing program. —

Gray Rohrer, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for champion

Recent Examples of Synonyms for champion

Noun

The Bulldogs, regular-season conference champs, need to win one more game, against the survivor of the Columbia-Brown game on Sunday.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
Shorter races for three-year-olds later in the summer like the grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in New Jersey will be likely targets for the Preakness champ.

— Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026