Synonyms of reactionary

reactionary 1 of 2

adjective

rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conservative
• traditional
• orthodox
• loyal
• conventional
• unprogressive
• ultraconservative
• hidebound
• staunch
• traditionalistic
• old-fashioned
• old-line
• old-school
• archconservative
• faithful
• standpat
• steadfast
• die-hard
• devoted
• paleoconservative
• true
• button-down
• right-wing
• mossbacked
• neoconservative
• brassbound
• square
• Tory
• steady
• stodgy
• true-blue
• ossified
• ultraright
• antiliberal
• antimodern
• ultrarightist
• dowdy
• right
• fuddy-duddy
• fogyish
• set
• blimpish
• antiprogressive
• antirevolutionary
• antireform

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liberal
• progressive
• radical
• revolutionary
• extremist
• nontraditional
• nonconservative
• unconventional
• unorthodox
• nonconventional
• antiestablishment
• broad-minded
• open-minded
• modern
• nonconformist
• contemporary
• large-minded
• advanced
• nonorthodox
• antitraditional
• anticonventional
• lefty
• ultraleft
• ultraleftist
• ultraradical
• ultraprogressive

reactionary

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conservative
• rightist
• traditionalist
• Tory
• right-winger
• archconservative
• right-wing
• paleoconservative
• conformist
• neocon
• neoconservative
• right
• standpatter
• stuffed shirt
• bourbon
• Colonel Blimp
• diehard
• fuddy-duddy
• square

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liberal
• leftist
• lefty
• extremist
• revolutionary
• red
• progressive
• revolutionist
• reformist
• left-winger
• radical
• reformer

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conservative
• veteran
• fogy
• fossil
• mossback
• stuffed shirt
• stick-in-the-mud
• rightist
• Colonel Blimp
• antediluvian
• fuddy-duddy
• fud
• Tory
• dodo
• old hand
• mandarin
• old maid
• old-timer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modern
• trendy
• liberal
• hipster
• progressive
• radical

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of reactionary

Adjective

And yes, he’s been reactionary while failing to properly read the market or to do his full homework. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

And in recent years, the image of a white pioneer family in homespun garb has been impossible to separate from the reactionary tradwife trend. — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026

Noun

The Federal Reserve’s reactionaries are likely to then put pressure on Warsh to hike interest rates. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Like Curtis Yarvin and other neo-reactionaries, Land abhors democracy. — James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026