What is the opposite of protagonist?

In literary analysis, the opposite of a protagonist is an antagonist, which refers to a character who opposes the protagonist. Often, they are a villain, but this is not always the case.

Outside of literature, there are antonyms for protagonist, including:

  • Enemy
  • Critic
  • Opponent
  • Rival
  • Adversary
  • Foe

Try QuillBot’s rephraser to easily find new ways of expressing your meaning.