reactionary

adjective

re·​ac·​tion·​ary rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē 

: relating to, marked by, or favoring reaction

especially : ultraconservative in politics

reactionary noun

reactionaryism

rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē-ˌi-zəm 

noun

Synonyms

• archconservative
• brassbound
• button-down
• buttoned-down
• conservative
• die-hard
• hidebound
• mossbacked
• old-fashioned
• old-line
• old-school
• orthodox
• paleoconservative
• standpat
• traditional
• traditionalistic
• ultraconservative
• unprogressive

Examples of reactionary in a Sentence

reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword

Recent Examples on the Web

Adams is the ideal vessel for that discovery: The character is more clueless about reality than her elders, and yet her idealism is rooted in a humanism that Streep’s reactionary matron lacks. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024

Weezy: Also, our show now is going to now include reactionary clips. —Okla Jones, Essence, 4 Dec. 2024

Yet their dangerously unquestioned need to counter or even beat China in region after region across the globe is not only reactionary but also subordinates U.S. interests to a fight that drains resources and goodwill while foreclosing opportunities for cooperation and peaceful coexistence. —Nancy Okail, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2024

Texas tried to establish a kind of reservation on the upper Brazos River, where the Tonkawa were first sent, but American settlers, abetted by reactionary newspapers, pressed for their removal. —Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reactionary

1 of 2 adjective

re·​ac·​tion·​ary

rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē

: of, relating to, or favoring old-fashioned political or social ideas

reactionary

2 of 2 noun

plural reactionaries

: a reactionary person