champion
- Top 3000
Sense 1
- noun
- B1
A person or team that wins first place in a sport or other competition.
She became world champion at the age of nineteen.
The defending champion was knocked out in the second round.
Our team has never been champion in this competition before.
The champion signed autographs for an hour after the final.
Common collocations: world champion · Olympic champion · defending champion · reigning champion · become champion · champion of the world
Part of: Sport
Sense 2 · less common
- verb
- C1
To speak up strongly for a person, group or idea and work to make it succeed.
She has championed equal pay for women throughout her career.
The mayor championed a plan to build cheap sports halls.
Only a few teachers championed the idea when it appeared.
Common collocations: champion a cause · champion the rights of · champion a plan · widely championed
Part of: Attitudes and opinions, Talking to people