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.

Swann allows her sheep protagonists to express themselves in her book without abandoning their sheep identity.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

The highest-grossing movie of the year worldwide is the videogame adaptation “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” where fans can be confident the the protagonists will just regenerate.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

But it's clear the female protagonists in this new film are having to make sacrifices in their personal lives to pursue their high-pressured careers, too.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

I’ve seen too many protagonists skulk down dark hallways, but McCarthy’s version of that shot is so visceral that you feel like he’s really been there.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

I think my students will be able to identify with the teen protagonists in all of the books I’ve selected.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers