as in conservative
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are
rightists opposed the new social programs
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as in reactionary
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Recent Examples of rightist
semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
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
Earlier this month, Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced the rightist Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2023 election loss.
—semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightist
Noun
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Bad Bunny’s halftime show announcement was met with criticism from conservatives.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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No conservatives took to the streets to obstruct ICE’s operations, yet more people lost their lives under Obama’s deportations.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Sources back what Doar is saying, telling WCCO the response from other agents appears reactionary.—
Jennifer Mayerle,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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But Bloom’s legacy has had the unfortunate effect of making even more reasonable canon defenses look reactionary.—
Colton Valentine,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In this topsy-turvy world, Erdoğan was the revolutionary, and the representatives of leftist institutions and unions were the rotten elites.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
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Approximately ten thousand members of the Mujahedin and leftist political organizations were sent before firing squads.—
Shahrnush Parsipur,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Although the Bobcats scored more points in the paint, their inability to stop the Eagles' forward on the interior led to excessive fouling.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
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Critics say it was often used to justify excessive force by police.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Pepe the Frog and Wojak (the bald, numb-looking cartoon character used to express ennui) were incubated in extremist circles on the image board 4chan.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
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For Ramírez, as for many others involved in international extremist violence at the time, the middle years of the 1970s undoubtedly brought opportunities to further their cause and violent careers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Continue reading … CABLE CRACKDOWN – FCC dismisses liberal hosts as agency enforces anti-bias policy.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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This framing marks a departure from the traditional American commitment to liberal democracy as the organizing principle of trans-Atlantic relations.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rightist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightist. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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