antagonist en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Texas) audio
- [ɛə̯nˈtæɡənɪst] (Canada, General-American)
- /ænˈtæɡənɪst/ (Canada, General-American)
- /ænˈtæɡənɪst/ (Australia)
- (US) audio non-native
- /ænˈtæɡənɪst/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Latin antagonista, from Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνιστής (antagōnistḗs, “opponent”) (ἀντί (antí, “against”) + ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “a combatant, pleader, actor”)), from ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai, “to antagonize”).
Meanings
-
An opponent or enemy.
[H]is eyes vacant—his face haggard—his head drooping, the spectacle of such an antagonist to the vigorous Edward, moved only pity in the few, and ridicule in the many.
1843, Edward Bulwer[-]Lytton, “A King in His City Hopes to Recover His Realm—A Woman in Her Chamber Fears to Forfeit Her Own”, in The Last of the Barons, London; New York, N.Y.: George Routledge and Sons […], →OCLC, book XII (The Battle of Barnet), page 433, column 2:our antagonists in these controversies
[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):Antagonist of Heav’ns Almightie King
1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- One who antagonizes or stirs.
-
A chemical that binds to a receptor but does not produce a physiological response, blocking the action of other agonist chemicals, such as endogenous chemical messengers.
2001: The calcium antagonists represent one of the top ten classes of prescription drugs in terms of commercial value, with worldwide sales of nearly $10 billion in 1999. — Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2001, p. 41)
-
The main character or force opposing the protagonist in a literary work or drama.
So God forbid I'm seen just as an average human being / I mean, imagine if antagonists lacked any evil scheme
2022, Will Wood (musician), “The Main Character”, in In case I make it,, performed by Will Wood:
-
A muscle that acts in opposition to another.
A flexor, which bends a part, is the antagonist of an extensor, which extends it.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| antagonists | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Coordinates
Deriveds
antagonistic · receptor antagonist · sartan · -tant · -lukast · -setron · -fiban · calcantagonist · radioantagonist · -kinra · archantagonist
Relateds
agonistes · antagonise · antagonism · antagonize
Synonyms
Translations (106)
ca antagonista (chemical) · ja 敵役 (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · ms penentang (opponent) · it antagonista (chemical) · id otot pasangan (muscle) · ru антагони́ст (one who antagonizes) · fa دشمن (one who antagonizes) · hu ellenfél (opponent) · sv antagonist (chemical) · pl przeciwnik (opponent) · pt antagonista (opponent) · ms penentang (one who antagonizes) · pl antagonista (muscle) · pl antagonista (opponent) · id antagonis (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · ro antagonist (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · sv motståndare (opponent) · de Antagonist (chemical) · it oppositore (one who antagonizes) · mi hoariri (opponent) · kk кереғар (one who antagonizes) · ar خَصْم (opponent) · id tokoh lawan (opponent) · eo kontraŭbatalanto (opponent) · fa هماورد (opponent) · mi whewheia (opponent) · fi antagonisti (chemical) · id penentang (one who antagonizes) · hu blokkoló (chemical) · ro oponent (opponent) · it concorrente (one who antagonizes) · sk antagonista (opponent) · pl przeciwniczka (opponent) · it avversario (one who antagonizes) · cmn 敵手 /敌手 (opponent) · pl antagonistka (opponent) · fr antagoniste (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · pdt Jäajna (opponent) · ar شِرِّير (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · pl antagonista (chemical) · el ανταγωνιστής (one who antagonizes) · fi riidankylväjä (one who antagonizes) · mi kiritoariri (one who antagonizes) · cmn 對手 /对手 (opponent) · fi vihastuttaja (one who antagonizes) · tl kontrabida (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · ru антагони́ст (opponent) · de Gegner (opponent) · es antagonista (one who antagonizes) · hy հակառակորդ (opponent) · eo kontraŭulo (opponent) · fi pääpahis (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · fa حریف (opponent) · ar غَرِيم (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · ka მოწინააღმდეგე (opponent) · hy հակամարտիկ (opponent) · de Widersacher (opponent) · ar عَدُوّ (opponent) · hy ախոյան (opponent) · is mótstöðumaður (opponent) · hi शत्रु (opponent) · id otot berlawanan (muscle) · id antagonis (chemical) · pl antagonistka (one who antagonizes) · kk кереғар (opponent) · fr antagoniste (opponent) · kk антагонист (one who antagonizes) · el ανταγωνιστής (chemical) · ms antagonis (one who antagonizes) · sv antagonist (opponent) · cmn 拮抗肌 (muscle) · bn প্রতিপক্ষ (opponent) · de Antagonist (opponent) · id zat penghambat (chemical) · it antagonista (opponent) · ka მეტოქე (opponent) · is andstæðingur (opponent) · fa رقیب (opponent) · id antagonis (opponent) · no Kjemisk (chemical) · ca antagonista (opponent) · mi kaitāwari (opponent) · ka ანტაგონისტი (opponent) · pl antagonistka (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · kmr hevdij (opponent) · de Antagonist (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · es antagonista (opponent) · pt antagonista (chemical) · fi vihanlietsoja (one who antagonizes) · pt antagonista (one who antagonizes) · el ανταγωνιστής (opponent) · cmn 拮抗劑 /拮抗剂 (chemical) · hi विरोधी (opponent) · sv antagonist (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · id antiwira (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · pl antagonista (main character or force opposing the protagonist) · ms antagonis (opponent) · ro antagonist (opponent) · pl antagonista (one who antagonizes) · id pemusuh (one who antagonizes) · fa مخالف (one who antagonizes) · fi vastustaja (opponent) · sv antagonist (muscle) · grc ἀντίπαλος (opponent) · eo antagonisto (opponent) · ar خَصْم (main character or force opposing the protagonist)