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agonist

noun

ag·o·nistˈa-gə-nist How to pronounce agonist (audio)

:one that is engaged in a struggle

[fromantagonist]

:a muscle that is controlled by the action of an antagonist with which it is paired

:a chemical substance capable of combining with a specific receptor on a cell and initiating the same reaction or activity typically produced by the binding endogenous substance

dopaminergicagonists

compareantagonistsense 2b

Examples ofagonist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage.Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.Send us feedback.

Like Field, many people who have taken these drugs, broadly known as glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptoragonists, have seen weight loss stagnate—and nearly a quarter haven’t seen any weight or health benefits at all.—

Bethany Brookshire,Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026My younger brother, Jared, also developed a gambling problem after being diagnosed with RLS in 2007 and was prescribed a dopamineagonist.—

J. Aaron Sanders,STAT, 4 Feb. 2026Ozempic is a type of GLP-1 medication (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptoragonists) that regulates appetite and increases feelings of fullness.—

Cara Lynn Shultz,PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026The doctor confirmed that the new drug, with its third receptoragonist, will further decrease hunger while increasing the feeling of fullness.—

Angelica Stabile,FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026See All Example Sentences foragonist

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latinagōnista, borrowed from Greekagōnistḗs, fromagōnízesthai "to contend, fight" +-istēs-istentry 1 — more atagonize

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined atsense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use ofagonist was in 1658

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Rhymes foragonist

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Browse Nearby Words

agonise

agonist

agonistic

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Agonist.”Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agonist. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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Medical Definition

agonist

noun

ag·o·nistˈag-ə-nəst How to pronounce agonist (audio)

:a muscle that on contracting is automatically checked and controlled by the opposing simultaneous contraction of another muscle

called alsoagonist muscle,prime mover

compareantagonistsense a,synergistsense 2

:a chemical substance (as a drug) capable of combining with a receptor on a cell and initiating the same reaction or activity typically produced by the binding of an endogenous substance

binding of adrenergicagonists

compareantagonistsense b