reactionary

American  

[ree-ak-shuh-ner-ee] / riˈæk ʃəˌnɛr i /

Sometimes reactionist

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, marked by, or favoring reaction, especially extreme conservatism or rightism in politics; opposing political or social change.

   Synonyms:

   ultraconservative

   Antonyms:

   radical

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noun

reactionaries plural

1. a reactionary person.

   Synonyms:

   ultraconservative

   Antonyms:

   radical

reactionary British  

/ -ʃənrɪ, rɪˈækʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by reaction, esp against radical political or social change

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noun

1. a person opposed to radical change

reactionary Cultural  

1. An extremely conservative person or position that not only resists change but seeks to return to the “good old days” of an earlier social order.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reactionarism
  noun
• nonreactionary
  adjective
• half-reactionary
  adjective
• reactionism
  noun
• semireactionary
  adjective
• unreactionary
  adjective
• antireactionary
  noun
• reactionaryism
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• reactionaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reactionary

1830–40; reaction + -ary; compare French réactionnaire

Explanation

A reactionary is someone who opposes reform or change, especially in the realm of politics. A reactionary is someone reacting (in horror) to what others consider to be progress. No one describes themselves as reactionary — you will hear it more often as a condemnation, as in "I cannot support the reactionary policy of mandatory military service for 18-year-olds."

Example Sentences

And I sure don’t underestimate L.A.’s middle-class malaise, long a reactionary force in city politics with a winning track record that spans decades.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Dwight Macdonald managed the difficult feat of being a democratic socialist and at the same time a tiresome snob and cultural reactionary, often coming off like a retired colonel at his London club.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

But following the Bolshevik takeover and the outbreak of civil war, the revolutionaries wanted to ensure that reactionary forces would never rescue Nicholas and Alexandra to reinstate the monarchy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Acting on emotions creates what analysts call a “behavior gap,” which is the difference between strong returns and poor returns that tend to be associated with reactionary decision-making.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

And there matters rested for three years, while schools in progressive Durham remained as segregated as those in reactionary Birmingham.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• archconservative
• counterrevolutionary
• regressive
• rightist
• ultraconservative