1
as in conservatives
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are
reactionaries tried to stop the passage of the legislation extending civil rights
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in veterans
a person with old-fashioned ideas
a reactionary in the nation's ongoing culture war, she seems to believe that watching any TV at all will rot your brain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reactionaries
In middle age, some sports fans become reactionaries.
—
Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
Yes, the movie’s reactionaries are ridiculous, never more so than when Penn’s comic-book antagonist is onscreen.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
When Atsu was first revealed as the game’s protagonist, reactionaries jumped to disavow the sequel, citing bad-faith reasoning that failed to hide their prejudices.
—Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
The Dreyfusards, his defenders, were largely liberal supporters of the secular, democratic Republic; the anti-Dreyfusards were mostly Roman Catholic reactionaries who despised everything the modern state represented.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
Yes, the movie’s reactionaries are ridiculous, never more so than when Penn’s comic-book antagonist is onscreen.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
When Atsu was first revealed as the game’s protagonist, reactionaries jumped to disavow the sequel, citing bad-faith reasoning that failed to hide their prejudices.
—Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
The Dreyfusards, his defenders, were largely liberal supporters of the secular, democratic Republic; the anti-Dreyfusards were mostly Roman Catholic reactionaries who despised everything the modern state represented.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactionaries
Noun
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The show is presented as a response to the official Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny as the choice of the Puerto Rican mega-star drew backlash from conservatives.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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Peter Thiel, founder of data analytics company Palantir and one of Silicon Valley’s most influential conservatives and investors, scheduled multiple meetings and meals with Epstein between 2014 and 2017, according to the documents.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Go to veterans’ homes, go to military bases, and so forth.—
Lori A Bashian , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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Despite his meteoric rise, Maye’s decision to drive a decade-old truck is reflective of the behaviors of a cadre of professional athletes and NFL veterans who have remained prudent with their earnings, even as their net worths skyrocket.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reactionaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactionaries. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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