protagonist

noun

pro·​tag·​o·​nist prō-ˈta-gə-nist 

1

a(1)

: the principal character in a literary work (such as a drama or story)

(2)

: the leading actor or principal character in a television show, movie, book, etc.

b

: an active participant in an event

2

: a leader, proponent, or supporter of a cause : champion

Did you know?

Struggle, or conflict, is central to drama. The protagonist or hero of a play, novel, or film is involved in a struggle of some kind, either against someone or something else or even against his or her own emotions. So the hero is the "first struggler", which is the literal meaning of the Greek word prōtagōnistēs. A character who opposes the hero is the antagonist, from a Greek verb that means literally "to struggle against".

Synonyms

• advocate
• advocator
• apostle
• backer
• booster
• champion
• espouser
• exponent
• expounder
• friend
• gospeler
• gospeller
• herald
• hierophant
• high priest
• paladin
• promoter
• proponent
• supporter
• true believer
• tub-thumper
• white knight

Examples of protagonist in a Sentence

Badlands has two protagonists and Days of Heaven four (though both movies are rich in colorful minor roles). —Richard Alleva, Commonweal, 12 Mar. 1999

The protagonists of Gordon's fiction are children who have been saddled with their parents' emotional bad debts. —Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 1990

The most adamant opposition to my argument is likely to come from protagonists of secular reason … —Glenn Finder, Atlantic, December 1989

She was a leading protagonist in the civil rights movement.

Milton Friedman is usually cited as the leading American protagonist of monetarism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fans of the franchise weren’t at all happy with the fact that Chloe, the secondary protagonist of the original Life is Strange game, wouldn’t be in this title, regardless of the player’s choices that were made throughout the course of the original game. —Ryan Easby, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2024

George Bailey, the film’s protagonist, epitomizes the human condition: his dissatisfaction stems from an unrelenting pursuit of unattainable aspirations—the next train whistle, boat horn, or airplane blast signaling an adventure that forever eludes him. —Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

The protagonists of more recent musicals like Wonka or Cats did not exactly reflect Chekhovian tensions. —Peter Bart, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

But in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Pachuca at Lusail Stadium in Qatar the main protagonists were on the pitch or, in Carlo Ancelotti’s case, on the bench. —Mario Cortegana, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek prōtagōnistēs, from prōt- prot- + agōnistēs competitor at games, actor, from agōnizesthai to compete, from agōn contest, competition at games — more at agony

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

protagonist

noun

pro·​tag·​o·​nist prō-ˈtag-ə-nəst 

: the chief character in a play, novel, or story