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
The protagonists in both books are brilliant in very specific ways (Bernadette is a designer), a brilliance focused in a passion that is conveyed through the novel.
—
John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
The stories in this collection, whose protagonists are women and girls of Hawaiian and Japanese ancestry, are both otherworldly and rooted in the bodily experiences of its characters.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
The protagonists are ultimately constructed like robots, accreting no more experiences or traits or memories than they’re programmed to have.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Without getting into spoilers, much of the tension rests on whether certain protagonists get caught.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Ospina gives us access to the actions of these non-human protagonists—inviting us to reflect on their subjective experience and to feel the urgency and promise of their journeys.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps most intriguing, however, is the protagonists' visit to the Gateway Galaxy, rendered in this movie as a Grand Central Station-esque hub outfitted with a series of criss-crossing tubes where visitors can find transportation to any corner of this ever-expanding universe.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Mar. 2026
The takeaway here is much more sobering than those of cinema’s other big animal fantasies, in which the hardworking mammalian protagonists tend to triumph over adversity.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
As with Golaszewski’s previous BBC work like Him & Her and Mum, Babies, which is produced by Mrs Wilson maker Snowed-In Productions, is an intimate portrait of a relationship, with plenty humor, and much of it was set in the protagonists’ flat.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
The stories in this collection, whose protagonists are women and girls of Hawaiian and Japanese ancestry, are both otherworldly and rooted in the bodily experiences of its characters.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
The protagonists are ultimately constructed like robots, accreting no more experiences or traits or memories than they’re programmed to have.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Without getting into spoilers, much of the tension rests on whether certain protagonists get caught.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Ospina gives us access to the actions of these non-human protagonists—inviting us to reflect on their subjective experience and to feel the urgency and promise of their journeys.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps most intriguing, however, is the protagonists' visit to the Gateway Galaxy, rendered in this movie as a Grand Central Station-esque hub outfitted with a series of criss-crossing tubes where visitors can find transportation to any corner of this ever-expanding universe.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Mar. 2026
The takeaway here is much more sobering than those of cinema’s other big animal fantasies, in which the hardworking mammalian protagonists tend to triumph over adversity.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
As with Golaszewski’s previous BBC work like Him & Her and Mum, Babies, which is produced by Mrs Wilson maker Snowed-In Productions, is an intimate portrait of a relationship, with plenty humor, and much of it was set in the protagonists’ flat.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protagonists
Noun
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Even the most ardent proponents of AI are concerned.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
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The proponents of this measure have even admitted unabashedly that this is part of a national effort to divide Coloradoans and drive turnout in the midterm elections.—
Mike Smith,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And supporters of the deal had to work hard to limit further defections.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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Proponents argue the Huntington Beach model represents a replicable template for conservative resurgence in California, with supporters in other communities seeking to adopt similar policies.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Facing the same majority requirement for Measure E in June could potentially swing the odds in favor of the parcel tax’s advocates.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Many housing advocates blamed Wall Street firms buying up homes for a post-pandemic surge in housing costs.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The young girl is reading at a 12th-grade level and mastering math concepts such as fractions, decimals and even exponents.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Among the most powerful exponents of this view are billionaires Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen; both venture capitalists have their own investments in the nuclear energy sector and are influential Trump supporters.—
Avi Asher-Schapiro,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The issue of high concert prices is multi-faceted, and artists and promoters play more of a role than many fans want to believe.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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In response, ticketing companies introduced dynamic pricing tools that automatically raise prices when demand is strong, allowing artists and promoters to capture more of that value upfront rather than leaving it to resellers on the secondary market.—
Leah Nylen,
Bloomberg,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protagonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protagonists. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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