as in conservative
tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions
reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rightist
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are
reactionaries tried to stop the passage of the legislation extending civil rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fogey
a person with old-fashioned ideas
a reactionary in the nation's ongoing culture war, she seems to believe that watching any TV at all will rot your brain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reactionary
Ian Millhiser, Vox, 21 Mar. 2025
With reactionary Splash Mountaineer–types decrying the film for being too woke, and folks on the left side-eyeing Gadot’s pro-Israel stance, this has felt like a film truly for no one.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Empathy Without Discernment: The tendency to immediately rally behind someone who claims harm or makes an accusation without critically assessing the validity of the claim, leading to reactionary and sometimes unjust outcomes.
—Aparna Rae, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Emotional decision-making disrupts this discipline and can initiate a cycle of reactionary behavior: selling during downturns, reentering during rallies, and repeating the process whenever volatility arises.
—True Tamplin, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Adjective
The fact that America’s traditional conservative party has been replaced by reactionary chaosmongers, in other words, does not simply create crises in the present.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 21 Mar. 2025
With reactionary Splash Mountaineer–types decrying the film for being too woke, and folks on the left side-eyeing Gadot’s pro-Israel stance, this has felt like a film truly for no one.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Empathy Without Discernment: The tendency to immediately rally behind someone who claims harm or makes an accusation without critically assessing the validity of the claim, leading to reactionary and sometimes unjust outcomes.
—Aparna Rae, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Emotional decision-making disrupts this discipline and can initiate a cycle of reactionary behavior: selling during downturns, reentering during rallies, and repeating the process whenever volatility arises.
—True Tamplin, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactionary
Adjective
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The Luddites weren’t mindless opponents of technology but had a clear logic to their actions—an essentially conservative one.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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The former president returned to his private home on Friday from the official residence, with crowds of conservative supporters turning out to greet his motorcade.—
Joyce Lee,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hepworth takes a legal-first approach as opposed to other crypto ''influencers'' or traditional financial consultants, assisting investors in understanding risk, security, and long-term wealth strategies as well as market opportunities.—
Kody Boye,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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These are our favorite open earbuds for every fit and budget. Don’t forget to check out our other guides like the Best Wireless Earbuds, the Best Workout Headphones, and the Best Wireless Headphones for more traditional options.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Drake Baldwin thriving in role Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin’s role has been reduced since veteran Sean Murphy returned from the injured list, but Baldwin is excelling in his opportunities to catch a couple of times a week and also DH or pinch hit occasionally.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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The veteran actress reinforced her romantic bonafides in the starry ensemble movies Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man Too (2014) while finding a home on TV in Being Mary Jane (2013–2019).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But there should be no such wall—even in the most orthodox capitalist system.—
Paul Laudicina,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Historian William Dalrymple traces the current sectarian divisions to the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, who shattered the empire’s religious pluralism by trying to impose orthodox Islam on the populace.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactionary. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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