conservatism

noun con·ser·va·tism \ kən-ˈsər-və-ˌti-zəm \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: conservatism in a Sentence

Definition of conservatism

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

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Examples of conservatism in a Sentence

the state's well-known conservatism means that progressive legislation always has an uphill battle

Recent Examples of conservatism from the Web

When the final votes were tallied, 20 of them had lost to Republicans representing the mainstream of conservatism.

— richard greene, star-telegram, "Republicans think they have November in the bag. Do they? | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 24 May 2018
For all the conservatism in this tiny baby’s chart, there’s the potential for wildness and change.

— claire comstock-gay, The Cut, "The New Royal Baby Is Already Such a Taurus," 27 Apr. 2018
Trump defines loyalty to conservatism as contempt for many of our neighbors.

— michael gerson, Anchorage Daily News, "Trumpism can’t be treated as a normal political moment," 1 Apr. 2018
Underlining the Trump connections that run through his US Senate bid, Republican candidate Geoff Diehl enlisted Maine Governor Paul R. LePage to the campaign trail Monday, tapping his unapologetic conservatism to drum up cash and media attention.

— matt stout, BostonGlobe.com, "Maine governor stumps for Mass. US Senate candidate," 22 May 2018
And the league’s conservatism seems to become particularly pronounced where politics are involved.

— alex putterman, The Atlantic, "Josh Rosen and the NFL's 'Ideal' Quarterback," 23 Apr. 2018
If all goes to plan, the Colts’ uber-conservatism of the past will fade.

— zak keefer, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Fast-food free, T.Y. Hilton embraces Colts' new era," 17 Apr. 2018
Conspicuously troubled by its own conservatism, gender and racial inequity remain constants in Hollywood, a business that has always projected a mirage of liberal progression.

— jason parham, WIRED, "The Ryan Coogler Effect: What Black Panther's Success Means for Black Directors," 23 Mar. 2018
No president increased the deficit more than the avatar of small-government conservatism, Ronald Reagan.

— alex shephard, New Republic, "The GOP Deficit Scam Will Never Die," 13 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conservatism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.