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 veteran
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
Alexander Langlois, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
They are considered standard-bearers of progressive or liberal politics on their respective continents, where reactionary parties and far-right populism have been on the rise for years.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
In middle age, some sports fans become reactionaries.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Adjective
While not purely reactionary, the Islamic Republic’s strategy signals that escalation faces escalation.
—Alexander Langlois, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
They are considered standard-bearers of progressive or liberal politics on their respective continents, where reactionary parties and far-right populism have been on the rise for years.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Like Curtis Yarvin and other neo-reactionaries, Land abhors democracy.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
In middle age, some sports fans become reactionaries.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reactionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reactionary
Adjective
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Following a conservative first half when LAFC got nothing going offensively but didn’t give up much on the other end either, the Black & Gold carried a front-foot approach out of the locker room after the break.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Released regionally by Angel Studios, widely known for conservative and Christian content, the movie’s last moment is framed as partisan generosity.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The front office also faced growing concerns about whether Reese’s presence would deter the signing of returning veterans and key free agents the Sky had targeted.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Two Patriots veteran free-agent additions, outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, addressed the media on Thursday as the offseason workout program wrapped up for the week.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Crypto apps like Coinbase have begun to diversify into non-crypto assets, and more traditional retail finance apps like Robinhood have begun to dip their toes into areas like tokenized stocks.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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People are in the right conditions, so meetings are more meaningful than in a traditional market where everything is back-to-back.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the nineteen-seventies, Franciscan University, a small school on a hill above the downtown, became a center for charismatic Catholicism, an expressive, theologically orthodox movement that paralleled the development of the evangelical Jesus People and secular hippie culture.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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Dioceses across the country are reporting the highest amount of converts in decades, many of them drawn in by orthodox Catholic influencers.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reactionary. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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