Word
antagonist
Phoneticsan·tag·o·nist, stress on the second syllable
US/ænˈtæɡənəst/
UK/æntˈæɡənˌɪst/
Countable noun Literature
Definition
n. the main character who opposes the hero in a story, film, or play. You use this word to describe the person creating conflict for the main character.
n. the character or force that opposes the protagonist in a narrative work. In literature and drama, it represents the primary source of conflict.
Examples
“The antagonist tries to stop the hero from winning.”
“In the novel, the antagonist is a corrupt politician who blocks the hero's plans.”
“The antagonist's complex motivations transformed him from a simple villain into a tragic figure driven by personal loss.”
Examples
simple
“The antagonist tries to stop the hero from winning.”
contextual
“In the novel, the antagonist is a corrupt politician who blocks the hero's plans.”
complex
“The antagonist's complex motivations transformed him from a simple villain into a tragic figure driven by personal loss.”
Real-World Examples
“With its oil-export routes once again under threat, Saudi Arabia is stepping up its military campaign against an old antagonist.” “Just when Spidey is at his weakest, he is faced with an antagonist whose powers far outstrip those of the street-level crims he has been swatting away.” “Comics fans will think of Batman’s antagonist, the Joker.” “From the start, the movies welcomed into their midst the mustachioed villain of Victorian melodrama, leaving subtler antagonists to literary fiction and the so-called legitimate theatre.” Etymology
From Latin antagonista, from Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνιστής (antagōnistḗs, “opponent”) (ἀντί (antí, “against”) + ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “a combatant, pleader, actor”)), from ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai, “to antagonize”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/antagonist