What does "reactionary" mean?
One who opposes revolution, wanting to reverse it, favoring a return to a past golden age. Often used as a derogatory by revolutionaires.
Reactionary
/ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who opposes revolution, wanting to reverse it, favoring a return to a past golden age. Often used as a derogatory by revolutionaires.
- Grammar: reactionary is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: antagonistic, antediluvian, anti revolutionary, antipathetic.
- Useful contrasts: nonreactionary, civil-progressive, extropic.
- Usage evidence: A conservative is not always a reactionary.
How to use "reactionary"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "reactionary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "reactionary" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "reactionary" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who opposes revolution, wanting to reverse it, favoring a return to a past golden age. Often used as a derogatory by revolutionaires.
"Hindu reactionaries, whose conception of a well-ordered society had not moved beyond the laws of Manu, fell into line for the moment with the intellectual products of the modern Indian University."
- 2 an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Extremely conservative; opposing revolution (such as the French Revolution); favoring a return to a "golden age" of the past.
"There's a fairly simple reason for the embrace of radicalism on the right, and it has to do with the reactionary imperative that lies at the core of conservative doctrine. […] If he is to preserve what he values, the conservative must declare war against the culture as it is."
- 2 Of, pertaining to, participating in, or inducing a chemical reaction.
"Psychiatry extends the theory into biology in the belief that all human behavior is nothing more than a series of reactionary chemical processes in the brain that determine pre-coded genetic responses built up from the conditioning of one’s environment."
- 3 In reaction to; as a result of.
"The regulator noted that reduced service levels and passenger numbers helped deliver strong performance, with fewer reactionary delays."
Adjective
- 1 opposed to political or social liberalism or reform wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A conservative is not always a reactionary."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "reactionary"?
Common synonyms include: antagonistic, antediluvian, anti revolutionary, antipathetic, antiphonal, antique.
How do you use "reactionary" in a sentence?
A conservative is not always a reactionary.
How do you pronounce "reactionary"?
Pronounced /ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French réactionnaire, equivalent to reaction + -ary. Used in the time of the French revolution to refer to a person opposing the revolution; as in favoring a reaction against the revolution.