plural agents
1
: one that acts or exerts power
2
a
: something that produces or is capable of producing an effect : an active or efficient cause
Education proved to be an agent of change in the community.
b
: a chemically, physically, or biologically active principle
an oxidizing agent
3
: a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result
4
: one who is authorized to act for or in the place of another: such as
a
: a representative, emissary, or official of a government
crown agent
federal agent
b
: one engaged in undercover activities (such as espionage) : spy
a secret agent
c
: a business representative (as of an athlete or entertainer)
a theatrical agent
5
: a computer application designed to automate certain tasks (such as gathering information online)
Examples of agent in a Sentence
They worked with a travel agent to plan their vacation.
the whitening agent in the detergent is chlorine bleach
Recent Examples on the Web
Border Patrol agents were able to secure the van and get it into the perimeter.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
His longtime agent and friend, Steve Caric, often sends clients to him in the winter and early spring for extra work, and Paulsen welcomes them into his home and his brain.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Federal agents also reportedly used tear gas in the Lakeview neighborhood.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
When using hydrogen peroxide, wear protective gloves and eyewear to avoid irritation, ensure proper ventilation, and never mix it with bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaning agents.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agent
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
His longtime agent and friend, Steve Caric, often sends clients to him in the winter and early spring for extra work, and Paulsen welcomes them into his home and his brain.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Federal agents also reportedly used tear gas in the Lakeview neighborhood.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
When using hydrogen peroxide, wear protective gloves and eyewear to avoid irritation, ensure proper ventilation, and never mix it with bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaning agents.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agent
Cite this Entry
“Agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agent. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
agent
noun1
a
: something that produces an effect
a cleansing agent
b
: a chemically, physically, or biologically active substance
2
: a person who acts or does business for another
government agents
a real estate agent
Medical Definition
agent
noun1
: something that produces or is capable of producing an effect
2
: a chemically, physically, or biologically active principle see oxidizing agent, reducing agent
Legal Definition
agent
noun1
: someone or something that acts or exerts power : a moving force in achieving some result
2
: a person guided or instigated by another in some action
where the heads of departments are the political…agents of the executive, merely to execute the will of the president—Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803)
see also innocent agent
Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803)3
a
: a person or entity (as an employee or independent contractor) authorized to act on behalf of and under the control of another in dealing with third parties see also agency sense 2, fiduciary relationship, subagent compare fiduciary, principal, servant
—
apparent agent
: an agent acting under an agency by estoppel
—
bargaining agent
: a labor union that represents the employees in a bargaining unit in negotiating with their employer through collective bargaining
—
business agent
: an agent that handles business affairs for another person or organization
especially
: a paid official of a union who carries on union business between the employees and the employer
—
collective bargaining agent
: bargaining agent in this entry
—
del credere agent
: an agent that guarantees to his or her principal that third parties involved in the transaction will pay or perform
—
enrolled agent
: a person qualified through expertise and good reputation to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service
—
exclusive agent
: an agent acting under an exclusive agency
—
general agent
: an agent acting under a general agency
—
legislative agent
: an agent (as for an interest group) that lobbies a legislature especially professionally
—
managing agent
: an agent or employee of a corporation or other business entity who has a position that involves the use of judgment and discretion and who is considered under the law as capable of accepting service of process and answering questions under cross-examination on behalf of the business entity
—
ostensible agent
: an agent acting under an agency by estoppel
—
special agent
: an agent authorized to do one or more specific acts under particular instructions or within restrictions implied by the nature of the authorized acts : an agent acting under a special agency compare general agent in this entry
—
transfer agent
: an officer, bank, or trust company that acts on behalf of a publicly held corporation in handling the transfer of stock and other securities and keeping records of the owners
—
universal agent
: an agent acting under a general agency
b
: a representative (as of a corporation or nonresident administrator of an estate) designated to accept service of process on behalf of the represented party usually as required by statute
c
: a person or organization that finds buyers or tenants for real estate owners usually for a commission
d
: an independent sales or service representative of an insurance company compare broker
4
a
: a representative, emissary, or official of a government
a diplomatic agent
b
: an employee of a government agency usually that is involved in law enforcement
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