reactionary

adjective

re·​ac·​tion·​ary rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce reactionary (audio)
: relating to, marked by, or favoring reaction
especially : ultraconservative in politics
reactionary noun
reactionaryism noun

Examples of reactionary in a Sentence

reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword
Recent Examples on the Web Reagan’s anti-Berkeley campaign provided a blueprint for reactionary politics moving forward; going through a performance of disaffection from the university was a way to gesture towards (without always admitting) a broader disaffection with liberalism. Adrian Daub / Made By History, TIME, 3 Sep. 2024 This is not necessarily the Jets’ brass being reactionary to Sunday’s loss. Vincent Frank, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 The Supreme Court was packed with partisan and reactionary justices when Mitch McConnell denied President Obama an appointment and jammed through a third Trump appointee in the last few weeks of his administration. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 4 Oct. 2024 The enthusiasm that these substances arouse in the field of psychiatry is inversely correlated with the sad reality that even the most reactionary guilds within psychiatry struggle to admit. Photovogue, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for reactionary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reactionary.' 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 above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reactionary was in 1815

Dictionary Entries Near reactionary

Cite this Entry

“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reactionary. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

reactionary

1 of 2 adjective
re·​ac·​tion·​ary
rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē
: of, relating to, or favoring old-fashioned political or social ideas

reactionary

2 of 2 noun
plural reactionaries
: a reactionary person

More from Merriam-Webster on reactionary

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