Word
antagonist
Meanings
A person or force that opposes the main character in a story, film, or play.
A person, group, or thing that actively opposes or fights against someone or something in real life.
A substance that blocks or reduces the effect of another substance in the body (especially in medicine).
Definition
An antagonist is a person who opposes someone or creates conflict, especially in a story.
An antagonist is someone who stands in the way of another person’s goals. In stories, the antagonist is often the main character’s opponent and may be a villain, but not always. In real life, it can mean a person or group that actively resists or fights against someone else. The word focuses on opposition and conflict.
Examples
- In the novel, the antagonist is more sympathetic than the hero.
- She refused to treat her coworker as an antagonist and tried to cooperate.
- The director wanted the antagonist to feel realistic, not cartoonish.
- In this debate, he positioned himself as the antagonist to the proposal.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse antagonist with protagonist and mistakenly use it to refer to the main hero instead of the opponent.
More at B2 level
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More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …