as in conservative
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are
a traditionalist who doesn't believe in expanding government
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Recent Examples of traditionalist
Takaichi is a long-time conservative, closely aligned with nationalist and traditionalist causes.
—
Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
In the ensuing years and especially during the pontificate of Pope Francis, tensions with traditionalist Catholics only deepened.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
This data point is often weaponized by traditionalists, boxing our families into voiceless tropes that ignore systemic racism, which has plagued the Black community since the dawn of slavery.
—Ashley Simpo, Parents, 30 Jan. 2026
Many conservative American congregations seceded and joined with traditionalist congregations in Africa and elsewhere to form a separate, less inclusive Church.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
For traditionalists, there were still plenty of classic blue jean offerings from labels like Bally, Brunello Cucinelli, Etro, Canali and Zegna.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
But today’s traditionalist poets, who accompanied the liberation parade from Idlib to the Umayyad capital, get off on the cognates of salvage and salvation and on the prefixes of survival and revival.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Banning the shift, introducing a pitch clock, adding a free runner in extra innings — all changes that the most entrenched traditionalists argued would materially alter the game.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
For decades, the presiding bishop was a member of Opus Dei, a traditionalist movement, founded in Spain in 1928, that has thrived in Latin America.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
In the ensuing years and especially during the pontificate of Pope Francis, tensions with traditionalist Catholics only deepened.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
This data point is often weaponized by traditionalists, boxing our families into voiceless tropes that ignore systemic racism, which has plagued the Black community since the dawn of slavery.
—Ashley Simpo, Parents, 30 Jan. 2026
Many conservative American congregations seceded and joined with traditionalist congregations in Africa and elsewhere to form a separate, less inclusive Church.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
For traditionalists, there were still plenty of classic blue jean offerings from labels like Bally, Brunello Cucinelli, Etro, Canali and Zegna.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
But today’s traditionalist poets, who accompanied the liberation parade from Idlib to the Umayyad capital, get off on the cognates of salvage and salvation and on the prefixes of survival and revival.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Banning the shift, introducing a pitch clock, adding a free runner in extra innings — all changes that the most entrenched traditionalists argued would materially alter the game.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
For decades, the presiding bishop was a member of Opus Dei, a traditionalist movement, founded in Spain in 1928, that has thrived in Latin America.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traditionalist
conservative
Noun
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Trump, meanwhile, was among a group of conservatives who instead championed Turning Point USA’s alternative to the Super Bowl halftime show, which featured Kid Rock as a headliner.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This is a problem among grassroots conservatives and progressives, as Calhoun detailed.—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Traditionalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traditionalist. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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