reactionary
adjective
re·ac·tion·ary
rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē 
: relating to, marked by, or favoring reaction
especially
: ultraconservative in politics
reactionary
noun
Synonyms
Examples of reactionary in a Sentence
reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword
Recent Examples on the Web
As much or more than anyone else, tech zealots who made their fortunes in the industry have to answer for our political climate of brazen corruption and cheap, viral, reactionary hate.
—
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2025
Experts say those efforts are critical at this time of transition since the Mexican government’s response to the uptick in deportations over the past 15 years has been reactionary – and this wave could set records.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan. 2025
That nuance is not conducive to reactionary, stunted TV personalities with partisan agendas.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
The victory prompted a reactionary backlash in France, most prominently from far-right politician Marion Maréchal, niece of the National Rally standard-bearer Marine Le Pen and granddaughter of the movement’s late founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
—Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reactionary 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2025
Experts say those efforts are critical at this time of transition since the Mexican government’s response to the uptick in deportations over the past 15 years has been reactionary – and this wave could set records.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan. 2025
That nuance is not conducive to reactionary, stunted TV personalities with partisan agendas.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
The victory prompted a reactionary backlash in France, most prominently from far-right politician Marion Maréchal, niece of the National Rally standard-bearer Marine Le Pen and granddaughter of the movement’s late founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
—Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reactionary
Dictionary Entries Near reactionary
Cite this Entry
“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reactionary. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share