Meaning & use
main character
The central figure in a story, around whom the plot mainly revolves.
See it in a sentence
The main character grows from a shy teenager into a confident leader by the novel's end.
Critics praised the film for giving its main character such a believable, flawed personality.
A note on using this word
Main character is a general term; protagonist is the more precise literary term for the same role.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
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