as in conservative
tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions
reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rightist
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 fogey
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reactionary
Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Within this context, Harold, in desperate need of a friend, falls under the sway of Casey, a colleague who introduces him to the weight-lifting lifestyle and, eventually, a reactionary mindset.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Adjective
This cycle of reactionary leadership not only stifles innovation but also erodes trust and morale within organizations.
—Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Within this context, Harold, in desperate need of a friend, falls under the sway of Casey, a colleague who introduces him to the weight-lifting lifestyle and, eventually, a reactionary mindset.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactionary
Adjective
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Though conservative Ohio courts always conspired to tilt her battle uphill, the initial suit made a splash.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
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As a conservative nationalist Takaichi’s elevation to prime minister could herald more strained ties with neighbors such as China and South Korea which both suffered at the hands of Japanese invaders and occupiers before and during World War II.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Other times, the mob leaned on more traditional crime tactics — robbery, extortion and assault, including a punch to one victim’s face — to force the card players to pay.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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Tight ends fiercely preserve their own history and the nuances of their position, preferring peer-to-peer coaching to more traditional coach/player dynamics.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Two reps later, Nix saw blitz and — with a veteran’s cool — checked into a quick-hit to Evan Engram, who sped for 20 yards.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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The 40-year-old NBA veteran is reportedly expected to make his return sometime in November.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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An ultra-orthodox school sat adjacent to the library, and its staff supplied the settlers with sleeping mats and air conditioning for the long night.—
Ryan Byrnes,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
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The Vatican said Leo will travel to the town of Iznik, modern day Nicaea, for the anniversary and while in Turkey is expected to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew, the spiritual leader of the approximately 300 million Eastern orthodox Christians.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactionary. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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