PROTAGONISTS Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

protagonists

noun

plural of protagonist

as in proponents

a person who actively supports or favors a cause Milton Friedman is usually cited as the leading American protagonist of monetarism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of protagonists While finishing her new novel ‘American Hagwon,’ author Min Jin Lee traveled to Sydney to discover how the city may have shaped her fictional protagonists. — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026 Siskel and Ebert wannabes Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick of the Lakers liken themselves to iconic film protagonists. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026 When the race goes green on Sunday, Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar — protagonists in a late accident at Bristol and the fistfight that followed — will be subjects of intense scrutiny. — Reid Spencer, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026 This time, the protagonists are the Kohs, a well-off cosmopolitan family who fall on hard times during the Asian financial crisis. — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026 Three students emerge as protagonists, two troublemaking boys and an outcast girl, who unsteadily becomes their friend. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026 The road trip narrative is a familiar sub-genre, but from On the Road to The Grapes of Wrath to Thelma and Louise, the Great American Road Trip has always seemed like the purview of white protagonists. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 The show is really interesting in that there are sort of these two protagonists. — Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026 News of Jordan’s period of rest comes months after the star won his first Academy Award in March, taking home a Best Actor statuette for his dual Sinners performance as the twin protagonists Smoke and Stack. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for protagonists

Noun

The measure works largely by imposing deadlines on state agencies and courts to issue decisions on those projects, proponents say.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
The president has reworked Russia’s economy and political system around the conflict, channeling investment into weapons factories and making loud proponents of the war central figures in the country’s government.

— Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of proponents

Noun

Hundreds of supporters had gathered outside the building overnight to protest her eviction, with dozens of police officers holding them back as some tried to stop the eviction from going ahead.

— Jamie Gray, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
But the choice was criticized by supporters of France’s strict form of secularism in public life based on a 1905 law separating church and state.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of supporters

Noun

Female athlete advocates warn that allowing biological males into women's divisions steals roster spots, playing time, and leadership roles from actual women.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
The company has also introduced The Kiosk, a grassroots audience activation platform that empowers moviegoers to serve as advocates within their communities, helping studios generate word-of-mouth awareness and attendance.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of advocates

Noun

Which trace from our Galois representation clings to each of these terms with prime exponents depends on how our equation, , behaves in a number field defined by that particular prime.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
His mind didn’t go blank; rather, all the what-ifs multiplied like exponents, crowding his thoughts and rendering him unable to envision anything else.

— Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026

Definition of exponents

Noun

All shows for the Calvin Harris – Australia Tour 2027 have sold out, say reps promoters Untitled Group, Full Circle, and Live Nation, which are jointly producing the trek.

— Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026
Kraft's move triggered a wave of venue rejections, forcing tour promoters to drop Macklemore entirely.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of promoters

Browse Nearby Words

protagonist

protagonists

protean

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Protagonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protagonists. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of protagonists

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

slew

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes