a sponsor

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person or company that gives money or support to an event, team, or person, usually in exchange for advertising.

   Grammar: Countable: say a sponsor or sponsors; the person or thing being helped takes of: a sponsor of the festival.

   Patterns

   • a sponsor of something
   • a sponsor for an event
   • find/get a sponsor

   The marathon has a new sponsor this year, a local bank.

   She found a sponsor to pay for her training trip.

   Sponsors of the concert are listed on the poster.

2. 2nouncountable

   A person who officially agrees to help someone join a club, take a course, or enter a country.

   Grammar: Often used with for: he acted as sponsor for my application.

   Patterns

   • a sponsor for someone
   • act as sponsor

   You need a sponsor before you can join the private club.

   Her uncle was her sponsor when she applied for the visa.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To pay for or officially support an event, activity, or person, often to get public attention.

   Grammar: Takes an object: a company sponsors the team.

   Patterns

   • sponsor something
   • sponsor someone

   Two tech firms sponsor the science fair every spring.

   The city sponsors free concerts in the park.

Word forms

Common combinations

corporate sponsor

The team thanked its corporate sponsor after the final.

main sponsor

The main sponsor's logo appears on every shirt.

find a sponsor

It took months to find a sponsor for the trip.

sponsor an event

Local shops agreed to sponsor the event.

sponsor a child

Many people sponsor a child through the charity.

Synonyms and how they differ

backer

A backer gives money or support, often privately, and need not get advertising in return.

patron

A patron supports artists or causes, usually out of personal interest rather than for publicity.

supporter

A supporter can give help or encouragement without giving money, so it is wider than sponsor.

Word family

sponsorship noun

the act or money of sponsoring something

sponsored adjective

paid for or supported by a sponsor

Commonly confused: a sponsor or sponsor?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a sponsor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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