protagonists

NOUN

person who takes the lead; central figure of narrative

Synonyms

STRONGEST

combatant hero idol

STRONG

advocate champion exemplar exponent lead leader mainstay principal standard-bearer warrior

WEAK

central character lead character prime mover

Antonyms

WEAK

antagonist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The two protagonists, Jason and Lucia, appear at least loosely inspired by the real-life American outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde, who have already been the stuff of movies and TV series.

From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026

Both trailers, which took a deeper look at the game's narrative and the lives of its protagonists, currently have a total of 446 million views combined.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

As is customary in the genre, what we think of its protagonists is a subjective question, determined by perspective more than anything else.

From Salon • May 24, 2026

I’ve seen too many protagonists skulk down dark hallways, but McCarthy’s version of that shot is so visceral that you feel like he’s really been there.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

It’s worth looking at a couple of tricks that allow O’Connor to keep this unblinking focus on his protagonists.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker