reactionary
C1Formal, academic, political discourse
Definition
Meaning
A person who is strongly opposed to social or political change or reform; someone who wants to return to a previous, often more traditional, state of society.
Used as an adjective to describe policies, ideas, or forces that resist modernisation and seek to restore an earlier social or political order, often characterised by extreme conservatism.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often carries a pejorative connotation. Implies a backward-looking, obstructive stance. In political science, it is distinct from 'conservative'; a conservative seeks to preserve the status quo, while a reactionary seeks to overturn the status quo to restore a past ideal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical, though more frequent in UK political commentary due to historical contexts of monarchy and class. In US discourse, often used to describe religious or social movements opposing progressive change.
Connotations
Strongly negative in mainstream liberal/centrist discourse. Can be used neutrally or positively within certain far-right or traditionalist groups to signal ideological purity.
Frequency
Moderately low frequency in general use, but a core term in political analysis, history, and sociology.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] branded/labelled/described as reactionary[be] seen/viewed/regarded as reactionaryreactionary against [social change/modernity]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A reactionary backlash”
- “To be a reactionary force”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might describe a company or leadership fiercely resisting technological or organisational change.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and sociology to analyse ideological movements opposing the Enlightenment, revolutions, or modernisation.
Everyday
Used in political discussions to criticise someone seen as extremely backward-looking.
Technical
Specific term in political theory denoting a position seeking to restore a pre-revolutionary or pre-modern order.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The party began to reactionary against the proposed reforms.
American English
- The group is reactionarying against the cultural shifts.
adverb
British English
- He argued reactionarily for a return to imperial measures.
American English
- The policy was reactionarily designed to undo decades of progress.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He has very old-fashioned ideas. Some people say he is reactionary.
- The politician was accused of being reactionary because he opposed all new social laws.
- The regime's reactionary policies sought to reverse women's rights and reinstate traditional gender roles.
- Analysts warned that the economic crisis could fuel a rise in reactionary populism, with movements idealising a mythical past national greatness.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE-ACTION-ary' – someone whose main action is to RE-act against new things, wanting to RE-turn to the past.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL POSITIONS ARE DIRECTIONS (Reactionaries look BACKWARDS, progressives look FORWARDS).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'реакционный' which is a direct cognate and carries the same meaning. Be aware the English term is strongly value-laden and used as criticism.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for 'cautious' or 'moderate conservative'.
- Confusing 'reactionary' (wants to go back) with 'conservative' (wants to keep things as they are).
- Misspelling as 'reactionist' (non-standard).
Practice
Quiz
In political theory, what is the key distinction between a 'conservative' and a 'reactionary'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In most contemporary mainstream political and media discourse, yes, it is a strongly pejorative term implying backwardness and opposition to progress. However, within some far-right or traditionalist circles, it may be adopted as a badge of honour.
It emerged during the French Revolution, initially describing those who 'reacted' against the revolutionary changes and sought a restoration of the Ancien Régime (the old monarchy).
Its primary use is political/social. While it can be used metaphorically (e.g., 'a reactionary approach to new technology'), such usage is less common and still carries the core idea of opposing change to revert to an older way.
The most common error is using it as a simple synonym for 'conservative', thereby missing its specific meaning of wanting to actively turn back the clock, not just slow down change.
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