ANTAGONIST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does antagonist mean? 

• ANTAGONIST (noun)
  The noun ANTAGONIST has 3 senses:

1. someone who offers opposition

2. a muscle that relaxes while another contracts

3. a drug that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another drug

  Familiarity information: ANTAGONIST used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ANTAGONIST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who offers opposition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

adversary; antagonist; opponent; opposer; resister

Hypernyms ("antagonist" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "antagonist"):

dueler; duelist; dueller; duellist (a person who fights duels)

enemy; foe; foeman; opposition (an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force))

Luddite (any opponent of technological progress)

withstander (an opponent who resists with force or resolution)

Instance hyponyms:

Antichrist ((Christianity) the adversary of Christ (or Christianity) mentioned in the New Testament; the Antichrist will rule the world until overthrown by the Second Coming of Christ)

Antonym:

agonist (someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon))

Derivation:

antagonism (an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility)

antagonism (the relation between opposing principles or forces or factors)

antagonism (a state of deep-seated ill-will)

antagonistic (indicating opposition or resistance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A muscle that relaxes while another contracts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Context example:

when bending the elbow the triceps are the antagonist

Hypernyms ("antagonist" is a kind of...):

antagonistic muscle ((physiology) a muscle that opposes the action of another)

Derivation:

antagonistic (used especially of drugs or muscles that counteract or neutralize each other's effect)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A drug that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another drug

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("antagonist" is a kind of...):

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "antagonist"):

estrogen antagonist; tamoxifen (an antagonist for estrogen that is used in the treatment of breast cancer)

narcotic antagonist (an antagonist used to counteract the effects of narcotics (especially to counteract the depression of respiration))

Antonym:

synergist (a drug that augments the activity of another drug)

Derivation:

antagonism ((biochemistry) interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure)

antagonistic (used especially of drugs or muscles that counteract or neutralize each other's effect)

 Context examples 

A diaminopyrimidine folate antagonist with potential antineoplastic activity.

(Metoprine, NCI Thesaurus)

Methylnaltrexone bromide is a type of peripheral opioid receptor antagonist.

(Methylnaltrexone bromide, NCI Dictionary)

Methylnaltrexone is a type of peripheral opioid receptor antagonist.

(Methylnaltrexone, NCI Dictionary)

A methylated tyrosine, a catecholamine synthesis antagonist with antihypertensive property.

(Metyrosine, NCI Thesaurus)

Although its mechanism of action is unknown, mirtazapine enhances central adrenergic and serotonergic transmission, possibly by acting as an antagonist at central presynaptic alpha 2 adrenergic inhibitory autoreceptors and heteroreceptors.

(Mirtazapine, NCI Thesaurus)

Mozobil is a type of chemokine receptor antagonist.

(Mozobil, NCI Dictionary)

The orally bioavailable monosodium salt of montelukast, a selective cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist with anti-inflammatory and bronchodilating activities.

(Montelukast sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

It is a type of leukotriene receptor antagonist and a type of antiasthmatic agent.

(Montelukast, NCI Dictionary)

It is a type of N-methyl-D-asparatate (NMDA) receptor antagonist.

(Memantine hydrochloride, NCI Dictionary)

Then turning to Mr. Bennet, he offered himself as his antagonist at backgammon.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)