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agent definition

agent (ā′jənt)

noun

  1. a person or thing that performs an action or brings about a certain result, or that is able to do so
  2. an active force or substance producing an effect a chemical agent
  3. a person, firm, etc. empowered to act for another
  4. ☆ a representative of a government agency revenue agent
  5. ☆ Informal a traveling salesperson
  6. Gram. the word or words designating the person or thing that performs the action of the verb in a sentence

Etymology: L agens (gen. agentis), prp. of agere, act

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to act or work as an agent (on)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business agent definition - business

law agent definition - legal

medical agent definition - medical

agent Synonyms

agent

n.

  1. One who acts for another

    representative, deputy, broker, promoter, operator, salesperson, salesman, assistant, emissary, appointee, proxy, intermediary, executor, attorney, lawyer, go-between, surrogate, procurator, principal, factor, minister, envoy, delegate, spokesperson, spokesman, canvasser, middleman, commissioner, regent, consignee, commissary, syndic, substitute, factotum, steward, functionary, servant, assignee, solicitor, ambassador, diplomat, chargé d'affaires (French), attaché, comprador, proctor, negotiator, advocate, coagent, instrument, tool, cat's paw, press agent, publicity agent, claim agent, employment agent, headhunter*, literary agent, actor's agent, booking agent, flesh peddler*, ten percenter*, handler*, secret agent*, spy*, operative*, double agent*, FBI agent, G-man*, treasury agent, T-man*, narcotics agent, narc*. *

  2. An instrumentality

    active force, cause, means, agency; see doer, means 1.

an agent is, generally, a person or thing that acts or is capable of acting, or, in this comparison, one who is empowered to act for another a literary agent; factor, a less common term, now usually denotes an agent for the sale of goods; a deputy is a public official to whom certain authority has been delegated by superiors; proxy implies the delegation of power to substitute for another in some formal or ceremonial act some stockholders vote by proxy


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

agent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • let: List of rental property from letting Agents in Surbiton.

Adjective modifier

  • biological: We suspect that these refurbished trainer aircraft have been modified for delivery of chemical or, more likely, biological warfare agents.

Modifies a noun

  • underwriter: Independent agents underwriters their driving record your policy includes display your products.

Noun used with modifier

  • estate: Sole agency The estate agent is the only agent with the right to sell your property.

Possessives

  • websites: Please click logos below to jump to Darren Diss ' work on his agents ' websites.

Preposition: in

  • incorporation: We act as your agent in the incorporation of offshore companies.

Preposition: of

  • Satan: The false prophets, the agents of Satan, who were around in John's day were neither a new nor a temporary phenomenon.
agent usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

agent quotes

Itake it as a compliment whenanagent ofthelargest and most heinous bully of the century, the Soviet Union, accuses me of being a bully.

-Haig, Alexander Meigs,Jr

agent quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"agent." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/agent>

APA Style

agent. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/agent

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