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.

Meow Wolf L.A., in fact, will be the firm’s most character-driven exhibition, as guests will follow the storylines of three main protagonists throughout the space.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

All three films celebrate highly dominant male protagonists who project raw power, aggression and emotional intensity.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

"There has been a lot of male protagonists and a lot of men have felt like they can be that main character," she says.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Swann allows her sheep protagonists to express themselves in her book without abandoning their sheep identity.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

I think my students will be able to identify with the teen protagonists in all of the books I’ve selected.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers