This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
agonist
[ ag-uh-nist ]
/ ˈæg ə nɪst /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
a person engaged in a contest, conflict, struggle, etc., especially the protagonist in a literary work.
a person who is torn by inner conflict.
Physiology. a contracting muscle whose action is opposed by another muscle.Compare antagonist (def. 3).
Pharmacology. a chemical substance capable of activating a receptor to induce a full or partial pharmacological response.Compare antagonist (def. 5).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Words nearby agonist
agone, gone coon, a, a goner, agonic, agonic line, agonist, agonistic, agonize, agonized, agonizing, agony
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use agonist in a sentence
These medications—GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors—have been shown to have a significant impact on lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.
People With Diabetes Are More Vulnerable to Heart Disease. How to Reduce the Risk|Elaine K. Howley|July 20, 2022|TimeA class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists can interact with GLP-1 receptors in ways that lower appetite, slow digestion, and provide other benefits for people with Type 2 diabetes.
These New Developments Could Make Living With Type 2 Diabetes More Manageable|Markham Heid|July 15, 2022|TimeAgonist, ag′o-nist, n. one who contends for a prize in public games.
British Dictionary definitions for agonist
agonist
/ (ˈæɡənɪst) /
noun
any muscle that is opposed in action by another muscleCompare antagonist (def. 2)
a competitor, as in an agon
Word Origin for agonist
C17: from Greek agōn agon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for agonist
agonist
[ ăg′ə-nĭst ]
A muscle that actively contracts to produce a desired movement.
A chemical substance, especially a drug, that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiologic response. Compare antagonist.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.