reactionary
reactionary Lexical Profile
reactionary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Opposing political or social progress or reform, often favoring a return to a previous state of affairs.
"The committee rejected the proposal, arguing that its reactionary policies would undo decades of social progress."
• noun
A person who holds political or social views that oppose reform and favor a return to a previous status quo.
"Critics labeled him a reactionary for opposing the modernization of the public school curriculum."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'reactionary' with 'reactive': 'reactionary' refers specifically to opposing political or social progress in favor of restoring a past status quo, whereas 'reactive' means acting in response to a stimulus or situation rather than taking initiative.
• Rhymes for reactionary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century on the model of French 'réactionnaire', a political term that emerged during the French Revolution to describe the counter-revolutionary movement opposing the Jacobins.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.