as in proponents
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
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Recent Examples of protagonists
Despite a growing number of games placing women at the center of their stories, Black female protagonists remain a rarity in the industry.
—
Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 11 June 2026
One of the protagonists of Portugal’s Nations League triumph was Diogo Jota, who passed away alongside his brother in a tragic car accident last year.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Olivier was venerated as a Shakespearean actor, playing many iconic protagonists in London including Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth and, controversially, Othello.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Work picked up, and Harbour began building a career, often playing a supporting character who helps reveal the hypocrisies or delusions of the protagonists.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026
The film stars Emily Blunt as meteorologist Margaret Fairchild and Josh O'Connor as programmer Daniel Kellner, a pair of protagonists drawn together by mysterious, otherworldly forces.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
And fairy tales with female protagonists are not just stories of oppression and outdated gender roles, but stories of awakening, opportunity and transformation.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
By the end of the show, which had its protagonists traveling around the country and beyond, Ava has come around to the place and to Deborah’s antics.
—Alexandra Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Her thrillers typically feature female protagonists and begin with a murder, a killer closing in on the narrator, or an arrest.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 11 June 2026
One of the protagonists of Portugal’s Nations League triumph was Diogo Jota, who passed away alongside his brother in a tragic car accident last year.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Olivier was venerated as a Shakespearean actor, playing many iconic protagonists in London including Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth and, controversially, Othello.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Work picked up, and Harbour began building a career, often playing a supporting character who helps reveal the hypocrisies or delusions of the protagonists.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026
The film stars Emily Blunt as meteorologist Margaret Fairchild and Josh O'Connor as programmer Daniel Kellner, a pair of protagonists drawn together by mysterious, otherworldly forces.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
And fairy tales with female protagonists are not just stories of oppression and outdated gender roles, but stories of awakening, opportunity and transformation.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
By the end of the show, which had its protagonists traveling around the country and beyond, Ava has come around to the place and to Deborah’s antics.
—Alexandra Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Her thrillers typically feature female protagonists and begin with a murder, a killer closing in on the narrator, or an arrest.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protagonists
Noun
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The surest sign bitcoin will never be money can be found in what excited its proponents on the way up, along with its critics on the way down.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Its proponents have turned it into a symbol of freedom and defiance.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Mexico supporters arrived at the stadium today in Mexico City draped in the national flag ahead of the opening World Cup match against South Africa.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
At previous tournaments, some teams and supporters have appeared happy just to enjoy the experience with little hope of progressing beyond the group stage.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The most effective advocates aren’t necessarily the ones who know the most medical information.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
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Street safety advocates want more regular reporting.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Noun
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This movement, known as critical legal studies, was associated with the political left, and its exponents, known as crits, loved to disparage liberal theorists’ devotion to the Constitution as naïve and counterproductive.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Of course, Huang wasn’t talking to just anyone, but one of the chief exponents of the wealth tax, nationwide and in California.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Buffaloes are, as promised by promoters, a power conference foe for the Aztecs in the inaugural game honoring San Diego native Bill Walton, who passed away in May 2024.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
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And not just us, but also promoters and agents who were willing to give us a chance.—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protagonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protagonists. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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