Meaning & use

agent

noun·Everyday

A person authorized to act on behalf of another person, business, or organization.

See it in a sentence

Her literary agent negotiated a favorable contract with the publishing house.

The real estate agent showed us three houses in the neighborhood we wanted.

A note on using this word

Agent can also refer to a spy, as in secret agent, or to a substance that produces an effect, as in cleaning agent.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A substance or force that produces a particular chemical, physical, or biological effect.

Chlorine is commonly used as a cleaning agent to disinfect swimming pools.

Make it your own

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