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Antagonists: meaning, definitions and examples

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antagonists

[ anˈtaɡ.ən.ɪst ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

in literature or film

Antagonists are characters who oppose or compete with the protagonist of a story. They are often portrayed as the villain or the enemy of the main character.

Synonyms

adversary, foe, opponent.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
adversary	This term is suitable when describing someone who competes against or fights another, often in contexts such as sports, politics, or warfare. It is generally used in a serious context. The chess player faced a worthy adversary in the final match The two nations have been adversaries for decades
opponent	Perfect for general use when describing someone who is on the opposite side in a game, debate, or any competitive situation. It's neutral and broadly applicable. She defeated her opponent in the tennis match During the debate, the candidate skillfully countered his opponent's arguments
foe	This word is normally used in a strong, often literary, context to describe an enemy or opponent. It can imply a serious, almost personal conflict, sometimes with historical or mythological connotations. In the ancient tale, the hero must defeat his fearsome foe The knight stood ready to battle his lifelong foe

Word

Description / Examples

adversary

This term is suitable when describing someone who competes against or fights another, often in contexts such as sports, politics, or warfare. It is generally used in a serious context.

The chess player faced a worthy adversary in the final match
The two nations have been adversaries for decades

opponent

Perfect for general use when describing someone who is on the opposite side in a game, debate, or any competitive situation. It's neutral and broadly applicable.

She defeated her opponent in the tennis match
During the debate, the candidate skillfully countered his opponent's arguments

foe

This word is normally used in a strong, often literary, context to describe an enemy or opponent. It can imply a serious, almost personal conflict, sometimes with historical or mythological connotations.

In the ancient tale, the hero must defeat his fearsome foe
The knight stood ready to battle his lifelong foe

Examples of usage

Professor Moriarty is the antagonist in the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Darth Vader is the antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

in medicine

Antagonists are substances that block or inhibit the action of another substance in the body. They are commonly used in pharmacology to counteract the effects of drugs or hormones.

Synonyms

blocker, counteragent, inhibitor.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
antagonists	Generally used to describe a character in a story who opposes the protagonist or main character. Also used in medical or scientific contexts to describe substances that counteract the effects of others. In the novel, the antagonists plot against the hero to prevent his success In medical studies, researchers identified specific antagonists to block the harmful enzymes
inhibitor	Often found in scientific and medical fields to describe substances that slow down or prevent a particular process or reaction. Researchers are studying various inhibitors to treat cancer effectively The enzyme inhibitor worked to slow down the metabolic process
blocker	Commonly used in medical and pharmacological contexts to describe substances that block specific actions or signals in the body, such as 'beta-blockers' for heart conditions. Doctors often prescribe beta-blockers to manage high blood pressure The new drug acts as a blocker to inhibit the pain signals
counteragent	Typically used in chemistry and medicine to describe a substance that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another substance. The scientists used a counteragent to neutralize the toxic effects of the chemical spill In the laboratory, they developed a counteragent to the poison

Examples of usage

Beta-blockers are antagonists that block the effects of adrenaline on the heart.
Naloxone is an antagonist used to reverse the effects of opioids.

Translations

Translations of the word "antagonists" in other languages:

🇵🇹 antagonistas

🇮🇳 विरोधी

🇩🇪 Antagonisten

🇮🇩 antagonis

🇺🇦 антагоністи

противники
опоненти

🇵🇱 antagoniści

🇯🇵 拮抗薬

🇫🇷 antagonistes

🇪🇸 antagonistas

🇹🇷 antagonistler

🇰🇷 길항제

🇸🇦 مضادات

🇨🇿 antagonisté

🇸🇰 antagonisti

🇨🇳 拮抗剂

🇸🇮 antagonisti

🇮🇸 antagonistar

🇰🇿 антагонистар

🇬🇪 ანტაგონისტები

🇦🇿 antagonistlər

🇲🇽 antagonistas

Etymology

The word 'antagonist' has its origins in ancient Greek, where 'antagonistes' referred to a competitor or opponent in a contest. Over time, the term evolved to encompass characters in literature and film who oppose the protagonist. In medicine, the term was adopted to describe substances that counteract the effects of other substances in the body. The concept of antagonism has been a fundamental aspect of storytelling and pharmacology for centuries.

See also: antagonistic, antagonistically.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,192, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.

...
13189 resilience
13190 crow
13191 cohesive
13192 antagonists
13193 disgusted
13194 deleting
13195 shameful
...