conservative

[ kuhn-sur-vuh-tiv ]

/ kənˈsɜr və tɪv /

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See synonyms for: conservative / conservatively / conservativeness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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

cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.

traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.

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

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

having the power or tendency to conserve or preserve.

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

noun

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

a supporter of conservative political policies.

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

a preservative.

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Origin of conservative

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

OTHER WORDS FROM conservative

con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbcon·serv·a·tive·ness, nounan·ti·con·serv·a·tive, adjective, nounan·ti·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverb

an·ti·con·serv·a·tive·ness, nounhalf-con·serv·a·tive, adjectivehalf-con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbhy·per·con·serv·a·tive, adjective, nounhy·per·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbhy·per·con·serv·a·tive·ness, nounnon·con·ser·va·tive, adjective, nouno·ver·con·serv·a·tive, adjectiveo·ver·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbo·ver·con·serv·a·tive·ness, nounpseu·do·con·serv·a·tive, adjectivepseu·do·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbqua·si-con·serv·a·tive, adjectivequa·si-con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbsem·i·con·serv·a·tive, adjectivesem·i·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbsu·per·con·serv·a·tive, adjectivesu·per·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbsu·per·con·serv·a·tive·ness, nounun·con·serv·a·tive, adjectiveun·con·serv·a·tive·ly, adverbun·con·serv·a·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use conservative in a sentence

There was a lot of positive feedback from people interested in non-gender binary people.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Plus the GOP electorate has become more conservative since 2008.
The Devil in Mike Huckabee|Dean Obeidallah|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That Huckabee is mentioned in the same sentence with other aspiring conservative governors, especially Bobby Jindal, is laughable.
Why This Liberal Hearts Huckabee|Sally Kohn|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A hundred ultra-wealthy liberal and conservative donors have taken over the political system.
The 100 Rich People Who Run America|Mark McKinnon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

She ultimately ditched JSwipe after about a week and found her current, non-Jewish, boyfriend on OkCupid.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The expatriated ex-rebels became alarmed by the non-receipt of the indemnity instalment and the news from their homes.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
He also states that the Audiencia is virtually non-existent, and so there is no high court in which justice may be sought.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
De moi, je ne say qu'en dire, d'autant que je ne veux affirmer ny le si ny le non en ce dont je n'ay vidence.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
The conservative senate sent a deputation to Bonaparte, expressing their desire that he would accept the title of emperor.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Certes le capitaine Merveilles et ses gens monstrerent leur pit non vulgaire.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for conservative (1 of 2)

conservative

/ (kənˈsɜːvətɪv) /

adjective

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

of, characteristic of, or relating to conservatism

tending to be moderate or cautiousa conservative estimate

conventional in style or typea conservative suit

med (of treatment) designed to alleviate symptomsCompare radical (def. 4)

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 themelectrostatic fields of force are conservative

noun

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

a supporter or advocate of conservatism

adjective, noun

a less common word for preservative

Derived forms of conservative

conservatively, adverbconservativeness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for conservative (2 of 2)

Conservative

/ (kənˈsɜːvətɪv) /

adjective (in Britain, Canada, and elsewhere)

of, supporting, or relating to a Conservative Party

of, relating to, or characterizing Conservative Judaism

noun

a supporter or member of a Conservative Party

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for conservative

conservative

[ kən-sûr′və-tĭv ]

adj.

Of or relating to treatment by gradual, limited, or well-established procedures; not radical.

Other words from conservative

con•ser′va•tive•ly adv.

Cultural definitions for conservative

conservative

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

conservative

Origin of conservative

OTHER WORDS FROM conservative

Words related to conservative

How to use conservative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for conservative (1 of 2)

Derived forms of conservative

British Dictionary definitions for conservative (2 of 2)

Medical definitions for conservative

Other words from conservative

Cultural definitions for conservative