as in proponent
a person who actively supports or favors a cause
Milton Friedman is usually cited as the leading American protagonist of monetarism
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of protagonist
The film’s core focus is on the emotional and physical transformation of the protagonist.
—
Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Leading protagonist McLusky has taken on the Russian mob, Aryan Brotherhood gangs and Columbian drug dealers, but Frank Moses is a smoother and more calculating criminal.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Alas, this isn’t an action movie crafted by Hollywood scriptwriters in which the protagonist always claws out of the most difficult jams.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protagonist
Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Leading protagonist McLusky has taken on the Russian mob, Aryan Brotherhood gangs and Columbian drug dealers, but Frank Moses is a smoother and more calculating criminal.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Alas, this isn’t an action movie crafted by Hollywood scriptwriters in which the protagonist always claws out of the most difficult jams.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protagonist
Noun
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But proponents of the industry claim that the environmental costs still net out as a plus since the space data centers take processing off the fossil-fuel-burning grid.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
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One of the biggest proponents of the capri resurgence, the supermodel has been making a stylish case for cropped pants since last summer—and her latest iteration takes the divisive Noughties silhouette into Italian girl style territory.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Dearborn Heights Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE'S request for comment but Guzowski said an advocate has been assigned to the family.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Community leaders demand arrest of ICE agent Local leaders and advocates in Minnesota called for the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good to be publicly identified, fired and criminally prosecuted at a news conference on Thursday.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Looking ahead into her second year without Tyler, Persun is hoping to further build out her network of followers, friends and supporters.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Trump promised transparency with regards to the Epstein investigation, but has alienated even loyal supporters with his actions on the matter.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The development of her own particular free indirect discourse form of writing culminated in her position as an early exponent of the Modernist short story.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
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The bird’s eyes remained blank, unmoved by the exponent.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
19 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Victor Quispe Victor Quispe The friend said Quispe was a barber, and he recently got married and his wife is expecting.—
Lisa Rozner,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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First, Monty Miller (a suave, anguished Jon Hamm), Tommy’s lifelong friend and billionaire founder of M-Tex, dies suddenly, but not before naming the fixer as the new company president.—
Michael M. Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protagonist. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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