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# antagonist

noun (antagonist, antagonists)

«antagonist» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The main enemy or opponent of the hero in a story, play or film (opposite: protagonist). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#m1)
2. A person who strongly opposes someone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#m2)
3. (science) A muscle or chemical that works against another. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#m3)

### In the lessons

In English lessons, you name the protagonist (hero) and the antagonist (villain or opponent). In biology, muscles work in antagonistic pairs (biceps and triceps).

### Examples

- The wolf is the antagonist in Little Red Riding Hood. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x1)
- Every good story needs an antagonist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x2)
- The two scientists were bitter antagonists. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x3)
- The triceps is the antagonist of the biceps. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x4)
- The antagonist tries to stop the hero. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x5)
- Name the antagonist in the novel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x6)
- At the near approach of his redoubtable antagonist he turned and fled for his life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/#x7)

### Note

Adjective: antagonistic; verb: antagonise (UK) / antagonize (US). The antagonist need not be evil — it just works against the hero.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «antagonist» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antagonist/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«antagonist» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/antagonist.html) on Mova free.