adj
reactionary
ree-AK-shuhn-ree
adj
1
Strongly opposed to political or social change, and favouring a return to how things used to be.
"The new leader took a reactionary stance on immigration."
noun
1
A person who opposes progress or reform and wants to restore an earlier state of affairs.
"Critics dismissed him as an out-of-touch reactionary."
How to Use Reactionary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone or something firmly against change, wanting to go back to the old ways.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "reactive," which just means responding to events rather than holding a political stance.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
more reactionary comparative, reactionaries plural, most reactionary superlative
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The new leader took a _____ stance on immigration.
Etymology
Borrowed from French réactionnaire, coined around the time of the French Revolution to describe opponents of revolutionary change.