# chump

/ˈtʃəmp/ (US) · /tʃˈʌmp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chump
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a gullible person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

someone who is easily tricked or fooled by others.

For teachers: a person who is easily deceived or taken advantage of due to a lack of suspicion or common sense.

- He felt like a chump after paying twice the price for a broken watch.
- The con artist targeted tourists, knowing that a few unsuspecting chumps would fall for his elaborate street game.

Teaching tip: While informal, this word is less aggressive than 'loser' but more insulting than 'silly person'.

### 2. a loser or failure

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a person who is not successful or who is considered unimportant and weak.

For teachers: a derogatory term for an incompetent person or someone viewed as a failure in a specific social context.

- Don't be a chump; stand up for yourself and ask for a raise.
- In the competitive world of high finance, he was dismissed as a chump who lacked the killer instinct required to survive.

Teaching tip: Often used in the phrase 'from champ to chump' to describe a sudden fall from grace.

### 3. to trick someone

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang

to treat someone like they are stupid or to cheat them.

For teachers: to defraud, swindle, or treat a person as if they are gullible and unworthy of respect.

- He tried to chump me out of my share of the prize money.
- The veteran players tried to chump the rookie into carrying all their gear, but he saw through their scheme immediately.

Usage: Often used with 'out of' when referring to money or possessions.

Teaching tip: The verb form is significantly less common than the noun and is restricted to very informal or street slang.

## Examples

- He was a total chump for falling for that scam.
- The con artist played on the victim's fear, making him a chump who lost his life savings.
- While some might view his investment as a calculated risk, others saw him as a chump who failed to recognize the inherent volatility of the market.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.