conservative

American  

[kuhn-sur-vuh-tiv] / kənˈsɜr və tɪv /

adjective

1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.

2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low.

   a conservative estimate.

3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness.

   conservative suit.

4. (often initial capital letter) of or relating to the Conservative party.

5. (initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.

6. having the power or tendency to conserve or preserve.

7. Mathematics. (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero; irrotational; lamellar.

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noun

1. a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.

2. a supporter of conservative political policies.

3. (initial capital letter) a member of a conservative political party, especially the Conservative party in Great Britain.

4. a preservative.

conservative ¹ British  

/ kənˈsɜːvətɪv /

adjective

1. favouring the preservation of established customs, values, etc, and opposing innovation

2. of, characteristic of, or relating to conservatism

3. tending to be moderate or cautious

   a conservative estimate

4. conventional in style or type

   a conservative suit

5. med (of treatment) designed to alleviate symptoms Compare radical

6. physics a field of force, system, etc, in which the work done moving a body from one point to another is independent of the path taken between them

   electrostatic fields of force are conservative

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noun

1. a person who is reluctant to change or consider new ideas; conformist

2. a supporter or advocate of conservatism

adjective

1. a less common word for preservative

Conservative ² British  

/ kənˈsɜːvətɪv /

adjective

1. of, supporting, or relating to a Conservative Party

2. of, relating to, or characterizing Conservative Judaism

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noun

1. a supporter or member of a Conservative Party

conservative Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for persons, policies, and beliefs associated with conservatism.

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Other Word Forms

• anticonservative adjective
• anticonservatively adverb
• anticonservativeness noun
• conservatively adverb
• conservativeness noun
• half-conservative adjective
• half-conservatively adverb
• hyperconservative adjective
• hyperconservatively adverb
• hyperconservativeness noun
• nonconservative adjective
• overconservative adjective
• overconservatively adverb
• overconservativeness noun
• pseudoconservative adjective
• pseudoconservatively adverb
• quasi-conservative adjective
• quasi-conservatively adverb
• semiconservative adjective
• semiconservatively adverb
• superconservative adjective
• superconservatively adverb
• superconservativeness noun
• unconservative adjective
• unconservatively adverb
• unconservativeness noun

Etymology

Origin of conservative

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Late Latin conservātīvus, equivalent to Latin conservāt(us) ( conservation ) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English conservatif, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

The neighborhood has long been a haven for Westerners, offering mixed-gender running clubs, access to alcohol in what had long been a dry society and a sense that the kingdom’s most conservative rules don’t apply.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Meanwhile, Alberta and Saskatchewan, two conservative provinces in western Canada, have refused to participate in the programme.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Mitsotakis's conservative party leads in opinion polls, but is not expected to secure an absolute majority.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Deavers notes that these estimates are likely conservative.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

In contrast, a neighboring highland people with whom I worked for eight years, the Daribi, are especially conservative and uninterested in new technology.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• right of center
• right-wing