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Which word shares a Greek root with antagonist?

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antagonist

American  

[an-tag-uh-nist] / ænˈtæg ə nɪst /

noun

• antagonists
  plural

1. a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary.

   Synonyms:

   foe, enemy, contestant

   Antonyms:

   friend, ally

2. the adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work.

   Iago is the antagonist of Othello.

3. Physiology. a muscle that acts in opposition to another.

4. Dentistry. a tooth in one jaw that articulates during mastication or occlusion with a tooth in the opposing jaw.

5. Pharmacology. a drug that counteracts the effects of another drug.

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antagonist British  

/ ænˈtæɡənɪst /

noun

1. an opponent or adversary, as in a contest, drama, sporting event, etc

2. any muscle that opposes the action of another Compare agonist

3. a drug that counteracts the effects of another drug Compare synergist

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antagonist Scientific  

/ ăn-tăg′ə-nĭst /

1. A muscle that opposes the action of another muscle, as by relaxing while the other one contracts, thereby producing smooth, coordinated movement.

2. A chemical substance, such as a drug, that interferes with the physiological action of another substance, especially by combining with and blocking its nerve receptor.

3. Compare agonist

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Synonym Usage

See adversary.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• antagonists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of antagonist

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin antagōnista, from Greek antagōnistḗs. See antagonize, -ist

Explanation

An antagonist is someone who opposes someone else. In Superman comics, the antagonist is Lex Luthor, evil genius and archenemy of the superhero. The noun antagonist shows up a lot when people are talking about books, plays, or movies to mean "the bad guy," but it can also be used to talk about a real person if she acts against someone else. An antagonist is always in opposition, but she isn't always bad or mean; your opponent on the tennis court, for example, could be called your antagonist, simply because it is her priority to beat you in your tennis game.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antagonist antagonists

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals says its GLP-1 receptor antagonist, avexitide, met both the primary and secondary endpoints in a late-stage clinical trial.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

He clearly appreciates the value of a fearsome antagonist, though he somewhat overstates the threat Stalin personally posed to Emanuel after the revolution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

An avid fan of Thai literature, he named it Thotsakan, the primary antagonist in the national epic, Ramakien.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

Finerenone is a non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist currently approved to treat CKD associated with type 2 diabetes.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026

What strength had I to dart retaliation at my antagonist?

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

O’Donnell has been one of Trump’s most persistent celebrity antagonists since.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

These include SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1-based therapies, and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in people with chronic kidney disease without diabetes.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

Neurocrine is betting that its experience working on CRF1 receptor antagonists could yield a better muscle-preserving treatment for obesity.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026

Jordan also collaborated with Coogler in 2018 with Black Panther where he played Erik Killmonger, one of the most memorable antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

Trails can be laid and followed, antagonists frightened and confused, friends attracted and enchanted.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• adversary
• enemy
• foe