conservatism

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tism kən-ˈsər-və-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce conservatism (audio)
1
capitalized
a
: the principles and policies of a Conservative party
b
: the Conservative party
2
a
: disposition in politics to preserve what is established
b
: a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change
specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (such as retirement income or health-care coverage)
3
: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change
religious conservatism
cultural conservatism

Examples of conservatism in a Sentence

the state's well-known conservatism means that progressive legislation always has an uphill battle
Recent Examples on the Web Applied’s drug falls under the agency’s Office of Rare Drugs, which was run by a regulator with a reputation for conservatism. Damian Garde, STAT, 7 Mar. 2024 Frontrunner Adam Schiff, the Los Angeles-area congressman, and his supporters have spent millions on ads touting Garvey’s conservatism. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 Putin worship isn’t even an aberration in the history of conservatism, merely the latest instance of a long tradition of admiring foreign dictators. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024 This conservatism can hinder the adoption of new, sustainable investment opportunities perceived as riskier or less familiar. London Business School, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 His decision punctuates a powerful ideological transition underway in the Republican Party, from Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and strong international alliances, to the fiery, often isolationist populism of former President Donald Trump. Michael Tackett, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 Why? Michael Oakeshott understood that conservatism changes with the times. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 23 Feb. 2024 Moreover, the state's traditional brand of more moderate, libertarian-tinged conservatism is a much better fit for Haley than Iowa's heavily evangelical-skewed Republican base. Rafi Schwartz, theweek, 19 Jan. 2024 This conservatism stems partly from the operational challenges in tagging diverse data classes and the complexity of nuanced legal interpretations. George Ng, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conservatism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of conservatism was in 1815

Dictionary Entries Near conservatism

Cite this Entry

“Conservatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservatism. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conservatism

noun
con·​ser·​va·​tism kən-ˈsər-və-ˌtiz-əm How to pronounce conservatism (audio)
1
: a political belief supporting established institutions and customs and preferring gradual development to sudden change
2
: a desire to preserve an existing situation or existing ways

More from Merriam-Webster on conservatism

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