conservative

1 of 2

adjective

con·​ser·​va·​tive kən-ˈsər-və-tiv 

1

a

: of, relating to, or favoring a philosophy of conservatism (see conservatism sense 1a), especially political conservatism (see conservatism sense 1b) and often also social conservatism

a conservative newspaper columnist

a liberal Democrat who married a conservative Republican

conservative elements opposed to the reforms

Nearly all of the far-right members in the House represent deeply conservative, Republican districts in which the only opposition an incumbent worries about would come from a primary challenge.

—David Lauter

In the mid-1950s, a woman getting a divorce in conservative Nashville was something of a scandal …

—Rachel DeSantis

… donations to conservative groups fighting pornography, labor unions and marijuana legalization.

—Dave Brooks

Those are some of the handful of researchers often cited by those who reject mainstream climate science, and each has worked with conservative groups fighting climate regulations.

—Scott Waldman

b

Conservative : of or constituting a political party professing the principles of conservatism: such as

(1)

: of or constituting a country's Conservative party

a Conservative government/majority

the UK's Conservative Party

the Conservative Party of Canada

(2)

: of or relating to any of various Conservative state-level political parties in the U.S.

the Conservative Party of Illinois

the Conservative ballot line

2

a

: tending or inclined to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions : traditional

Hunters also tend to be conservative—not just politically, but skeptical of change.

—Ben Long

b

: marked by moderation or caution

In recent years, many agencies have adopted more conservative policies regarding introduction of nonnative species; nevertheless, introductions continue at an alarming rate.

—Craig N. Spencer et al.

One conservative estimate of the number of butterflies at a single site in Mexico was 14.25 million.

—Mark Carwardine

c

: marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners : tending to avoid qualities or elements that are novel, showy, etc.

a conservative architectural style

… boys' names tended to be more conservative and move more slowly up and down the popularity ladder because so many boys were given family names to cement lineage and inheritance.

—Pamela Redmond Satran

A woman entered the dining room, dressed in a conservative pastel sweater and skirt at odds with the others' casual clothes.

—Gini Sikes

3

Conservative : of, relating to, or practicing Conservative Judaism

4

: preservative

especially, medical : designed to preserve parts or restore or preserve function

… Dr. Lutz prefers conservative treatment: rest, braces, anti-inflammatory injections, physical therapy. But he knew that those measures had failed to relieve the dancer's pain.

—Karen Freeman

conservatively adverb

dressed conservatively

conservativeness noun

conservative

2 of 2

noun

plural conservatives

: a person who is conservative (see conservative entry 1): such as

a

: an adherent or advocate of conservatism (see conservatism sense 1) and especially political conservatism

Appointed as a conservative, [Sandra Day] O'Connor became known as a centrist, supporting traditional boundaries between church and state and writing an opinion justifying race-conscious admissions in law schools.

—Mariana Alfaro

Advocates often focus on the right to seek asylum under U.S. law, while conservatives argue that current operations let in too many people unlikely to merit protection.

—Sarah Matusek

Many conservatives see concerns about climate change overblown, and a losing issue with their voters.

—Tim Hanharan

[Abraham] Lincoln the politician was a master of misdirection, of appearing to appease conservatives while manipulating them toward acceptance of radical policies.

—James M. McPherson

A fiscal conservative advocates for small government and low taxes but is open to higher taxes if necessary to erase deficits. That kind of thinking defined the Republican Party for most of the 20th century.

—Jackie Calmes

see also social conservative

b

Conservative plural Conservatives : a member or supporter of a Conservative (see conservative entry 1 sense 1b) political party

the Conservatives in Parliament

c

: a person who adheres to traditional methods or views

a conservative in dress and manner

She [musician Clara Schumann] was a conservative who represented integrity and tradition, as opposed to the flaming virtuosity of Liszt and the "music of the future" of Wagner.

—Harold C. Schonberg

Synonyms

Adjective

• archconservative
• brassbound
• button-down
• buttoned-down
• die-hard
• hidebound
• mossbacked
• old-fashioned
• old-line
• old-school
• orthodox
• paleoconservative
• reactionary
• standpat
• traditional
• traditionalistic
• ultraconservative
• unprogressive

Noun

• archconservative
• paleoconservative
• reactionary
• rightist
• right-winger
• Tory
• traditionalist

Examples of conservative in a Sentence

Adjective

She is a liberal Democrat who married a conservative Republican.

She's more conservative now than she was in college.

Noun

His message is being well received by conservatives.

proposed legislation that was opposed by conservatives throughout the state

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

González, 47, held various government jobs during the presidency of Rafael Correa, who led Ecuador from 2007 through 2017 with free-spending socially conservative policies and grew increasingly authoritarian in his last years as president. —Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025

González, 47, held various government jobs during the presidency of Correa, who led Ecuador from 2007 through 2017 with free-spending socially conservative policies and grew increasingly authoritarian in his last years in office. —Gonzalo Solano and Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Noun

The clip has aired to the delight of conservatives online. —Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025

And Meta has taken a number of steps to appease Trump, including ending its fact-checking program, something Trump supporters and other conservatives have long attacked as biased. —Bobby Allyn, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English conservatif "tending to protect or preserve," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin conservātīvus, from Latin conservātus, past participle of conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" + -īvus -ive — more at conserve entry 1

Noun

derivative of conservative entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing conservative

• anti-conservative
• conservative estimate
• fiscal conservative

Rhymes for conservative

• preservative
• neoconservative

Kids Definition

conservative

1 of 2 adjective

con·​ser·​va·​tive kən-ˈsər-vət-iv 

1

: tending to conserve or preserve

2

: of or relating to conservatism

3

: tending to preserve existing views, conditions, or institutions : traditional

4

: cautious, moderate

a conservative estimate

5

: being in agreement with the usual standards of taste or manners

a conservative suit

conservatively adverb

conservativeness noun

conservative

2 of 2 noun

: a person who is conservative especially in politics

Medical Definition

conservative

adjective

con·​ser·​va·​tive kən-ˈsər-vət-iv 

: not extreme or drastic

especially : designed to preserve parts or restore or preserve function

conservative treatment of prostate cancer by watchful waiting or hormonal therapy in contrast to radical prostatectomy

compare aggressive sense 3, radical entry 1

conservatively adverb