Champion Meaning: The Winner and the Verb You Forgot About
Wondering what Champion means in the June 20, 2026 NYT Connections puzzle? This plain-English guide explains the clue, the group it belongs to and the tempting wrong interpretation.
Nora BennettSenior language and word-games editor3 min read
This FluentSlang explainer covers Champion as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 20, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Champion meaning in this puzzle
Champion has two main meanings. Most people know the first one: a champion is a winner, the person or team that comes out on top. The second one is the sneaky one. To champion something means to support, defend, or fight for it in public.
Why it showed up in Connections
This clue came from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 20, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward endorse.
So champion can be a noun (the winner) or a verb (to back a cause hard). That second meaning is why the word landed in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 20, 2026.
Why champion mattered in today’s Connections puzzle
In the June 20 grid, champion sat in the “endorse” group with back, bolster, and support. Every word in that group means to stand behind something.
The trap was the trophy. Champion screams sports and winning, so your brain wants to link it to competition, not to the quiet act of supporting a cause. The puzzle counted on that reflex.
Once you read it as a verb, it clicks.
Champion in plain English
The verb shows up more than you might think:
- “She championed clean water for the whole town.”
- “He championed the new student club until it got funding.”
- “The mayor championed a plan to fix the roads.”
- “They championed her idea in every meeting.”
In each one, champion means to push for and support something.
And the everyday noun:
- “Our team is the champion this year.”
Common mistake
The biggest mistake is thinking champion only means winner. That is why it fooled players who expected a sports category.
Another slip is mixing up champion with just “like.” To champion something is stronger than liking it. You actively defend it and speak up for it. You do not casually champion a snack. You champion a cause you truly believe in.
Quick wrong-guess note: because champion feels competitive, some players tried to connect it to rocker or Knicks. Neither fits. The link was the verb, not the trophy.
Related words and phrases
Words that travel with champion:
- Support: the plainest match, and it shared the group today.
- Back: to give your approval, like “I back this.”
- Bolster: to strengthen a cause. The bolster meaning guide shows how close these two are.
- Advocate: someone who speaks up for a cause, close to the verb champion.
- Defender: a person who protects an idea or group.
Mini comparison:
- Champion (verb) = fight for it out loud.
- Support = stand behind it.
- Advocate = speak for it, often as a role.
When you would search this
Most people look up “champion meaning” after they see it used as a verb and only knew the winner version. Now you have both: the person who wins, and the act of standing up for a cause.
Want the rest of the grid? The full June 20 Connections answers explain every group. Since champion, back, bolster, and support all fooled people, the bolster meaning guide is a smart next read, and the knapsack meaning guide covers the tricky K-sound word. When you are done, jump to the June 21, 2026 hints and answers.
This page explains what champion means for readers who saw it in the NYT Connections puzzle for June 20, 2026 and want both the winner and the verb in plain English.
Nora Bennett
Nora Bennett is FluentSlang’s senior language and word-games editor. She writes spoiler-conscious daily puzzle guides and plain-English explainers for slang, idioms and tricky clue patterns, helping readers understand why an answer works, not just what it is.
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