reactionary
adj.adj. opposing political or social change and wanting to return to the way things were in the past. It describes someone who is very conservative and dislikes new ideas.
adj. characterised by opposition to political or social progress or reform. Often used to describe a desire to return to a previous state of affairs.
The politician's reactionary views made him unpopular with young voters.
The government faced criticism for its reactionary response to the new environmental regulations.
Historians often debate whether the regime was truly conservative in its preservation of order or if its policies were fundamentally reactionary, seeking to dismantle decades of social progress.
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.
Commonly used as an adjective to describe people, policies, or viewpoints; can also function as a countable noun for a person holding such views.
a reactive policya reactionary policyLearners often use 'reactive' (acting in response to a situation) when they mean 'reactionary' (opposing social progress).