reigning champion
Defending title holder
A reigning champion is the current holder of a championship title—the person or team who won most recently and hasn't yet been defeated or replaced.
The term emphasizes active status: The reigning champion will defend her title next month.
Once someone else wins, the former holder becomes simply a past champion.
- defendingProtecting against harm
- title defenseChampion defends against challenger
- title holderOne holding a championship
- titleFormal honorific or name
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
crown · victor · undefeated · winning streak · dominant · belt · trophy · dynasty · knockout · legacy · supremacy · undisputed · heavyweight · gold · gold medalist · podium · victory lap · standing ovation
- game showsbuzzer, buzzers, contestant, contestants, jackpot
- competitorscompetitor, contestant, competitors, rivals, opponents
- game show peoplecontestant, host, winner, loser, announcer
- titleholderstitleholder, title holder, belt holder, crown holder, record holder
- olympic designationgold medal, silver medal, bronze medal, Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics
reigning championformer champion
Previous holder of title
loser · also-ran · has-been · bottom-dweller · cellar dweller
reigning championbottom-dweller
Organism living on substrate
cellar dweller · also-ran · doormat · whipping boy · cannon fodder
reigning championchallenger
One competing against incumbent
contender · underdog · newcomer · upstart · up-and-comer
reigning, champion, reign, reigns, reigned, reignite, champions, championed, championing