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.

See Examples For:

protagonists

The extended look spent a long time showcasing the relationship between protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Camino, the couple at the centre of GTA 6's "Bonnie and Clyde" story.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

“In “Heated Rivalry,” the much-buzzed-about gay hockey romance, the protagonists escape to a “Quebec” cottage that is actually in Muskoka.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

After Netflix greenlit a two-hour finale instead, Oseman elected to zero in on her protagonists — not unlike her comics — rather than give each character their own, heavily condensed arc.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

It was already possible to look back over the Scientific Revolution, to identify its leading protagonists and sketch out its main characteristics.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton