protagonists

NOUN

person who takes the lead; central figure of narrative

Synonyms

STRONGEST

combatant hero idol

STRONG

advocate champion exemplar exponent lead leader mainstay principal standard-bearer warrior

WEAK

central character lead character prime mover

Antonyms

WEAK

antagonist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

protagonists

The rescuers befriend our true prince, Ben; of course, we figure out his identity long before the protagonists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Rockstar has hinted that the Bonnie and Clyde-type protagonists Jason and Lucia do not have to become a full-on romantic couple.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

John Field, one of Li’s two protagonists, was in fact a classical pianist of some repute, having invented the nocturne form of composition that Chopin would make famous in Field’s lifetime.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Too often, films whose protagonists voyage to foreign lands are considered mere travelogues—a form of cinematic tourism chiefly distinguished by the exoticism of the locales.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The facts are true, even if the protagonists are fictions.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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