agent
agent
nounDefinition of AGENT
1
something used to achieve an end <the whitening agent in the detergent is chlorine bleach> <the Church has been the traditional agent for social justice in impoverished countries>
Related Words determinant, expedient, factor, influence, ingredient, mechanism, tool; weapon; activator, animator, catalyst, driver, energizer, executor, generator, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, instigator, launcher, mover, power, stimulus, trigger; antecedent, cause, occasion, reason; subagency, subagent
2
a person who acts or does business for another <the sports agent negotiated a record-breaking contract for the baseball player>
Synonyms assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy, factor, minister, procurator, proxy, rep, representative
Related Words ambassador, diplomat, diplomatist, emissary, foreign minister, legate, plenipotentiary; alternate, backup, pinch hitter, relief, replacement, stand-in, sub, substitute, surrogate, understudy; informer, operative, spy; broker, distributor, manager; arbiter, arbitrator, comprador (or compradore), conciliator, go-between, intercessor, intermediary, interposer, liaison, mediator, middleman, peacemaker; mouthpiece, point man, point person, prophet, speaker, spokesman, spokesperson
3
a person sent on a mission to represent another <an undercover agent of the Crown>
Related Words ambassadress; attaché, chargé d'affaires, consul, deputy, diplomat, foreign minister, nuncio, procurator, proxy; apostle, evangelist, missionary; deputation, detachment, legation; courier, messenger; mouthpiece, spokesperson
4
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country <an agent feeding information about enemy troop movements>
Related Words courier; counterspy, double agent, sleeper; infiltrator, informer, stool pigeon; spymaster, superspy
