as in Tories
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are
proposed legislation that was opposed by conservatives throughout the state
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Recent Examples of conservatives
Teachers unions, long derided by conservatives as one of the primary vectors of left-wing ideology into public education, have significant influence over the MSBA.
—
Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026
After the failure of the Reagan Amnesty to stem the flow, many rank-and-file conservatives no longer trusted Congress or the Executive Branch to safeguard our borders.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
Chancellor Friedrich Merz suffered a setback when his conservatives lost a regional election to the Greens, a stinging blow for the unpopular German leader compounded by a jump in support for the far right.
—Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
However, divisions are emerging within the United States, including among some conservatives.
—Ken Barnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The controversy connects to a larger schism on the right, with some conservatives pushing back against an increasingly vocal faction whose denunciations of Israel, critics say, often combine with blatant antisemitism.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Nationally, conservatives have expressed skepticism over the value of humanities degrees and railed against protests for liberal causes amid a perception that Republicans are on the losing side of the political battle for college students.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 5 Mar. 2026
Remember when conservatives looked down on winning due to a technicality?
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Erdö is a distinguished church lawyer and was the conservatives’ choice.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026
After the failure of the Reagan Amnesty to stem the flow, many rank-and-file conservatives no longer trusted Congress or the Executive Branch to safeguard our borders.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
Chancellor Friedrich Merz suffered a setback when his conservatives lost a regional election to the Greens, a stinging blow for the unpopular German leader compounded by a jump in support for the far right.
—Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
However, divisions are emerging within the United States, including among some conservatives.
—Ken Barnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
The controversy connects to a larger schism on the right, with some conservatives pushing back against an increasingly vocal faction whose denunciations of Israel, critics say, often combine with blatant antisemitism.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Nationally, conservatives have expressed skepticism over the value of humanities degrees and railed against protests for liberal causes amid a perception that Republicans are on the losing side of the political battle for college students.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 5 Mar. 2026
Remember when conservatives looked down on winning due to a technicality?
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Erdö is a distinguished church lawyer and was the conservatives’ choice.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conservatives
Noun
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Historians have pointed to Hodge’s early support of reactionary rightists, including industrialists, landlords, and businessmen—people who were associated with Japanese rule.—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When left- and right-wingers agree that the United States is unrepresentative, that represents a mandate for disruption—from Trump in 2024 to Mamdani in 2025.—
Will Johnson,
Time,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Elon Musk alone has dropped the word more than 30 times on his X account since early 2024, while Joe Rogan has said that its return represents an important win for right-wingers.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
6 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The good news for the traditionalists is that everyone seems to agree that the FA Cup is still an important endeavour.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Tasked specifically with filming Jackie Kennedy, Maysles did that job and more, capturing telling moments—the future first lady nervously fidgeting with her white gloves, for example—that traditionalists felt should have remained private.—
Rosemary Counter,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Mandel, who sells media rights to many of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, praised the company for focusing on storytelling and turning the streaming service into the home for tennis.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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The general public, women’s rights groups and public figures including ministers Anielle Franco and Sonia Guajajara took to social media to denounce the incident.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Like Curtis Yarvin and other neo-reactionaries, Land abhors democracy.—
James Duesterberg,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
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In middle age, some sports fans become reactionaries.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Conservatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conservatives. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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