agonist Definition
- 1a substance that activates a receptor to produce a full or partial response
- 2a muscle that contracts while another relaxes, producing movement
Using agonist: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "agonist" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The drug acts as an agonist by binding to the receptor and activating it.
Example
The biceps muscle is an agonist during arm flexion, while the triceps muscle is the antagonist.
agonist Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with agonist
Example
Morphine is a full agonist at the mu-opioid receptor.
Example
Buprenorphine is a partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor.
a substance that produces the opposite effect of an agonist by binding to the same receptor
Example
Naloxone is an inverse agonist at the mu-opioid receptor.
Origins of agonist
from Greek 'agōnistēs', meaning 'combatant'
Summary: agonist in Brief
An 'agonist' [ˈæɡənɪst] is a substance that activates a receptor to produce a full or partial response. It can also refer to a muscle that contracts while another relaxes, producing movement. Examples include drugs that act as agonists by binding to receptors and producing a response, and muscles that act as agonists during movement. Phrases like 'full agonist' and 'partial agonist' describe the degree of response produced by a substance, while 'inverse agonist' produces the opposite effect of an agonist by binding to the same receptor.
