# reactionary

/ɹiˈækʃəˌnɛɹi/ (US) · /ɹɪˈækʃənəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reactionary
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. opposing political change

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

opposing political or social progress and wanting to return to the way things were in the past.

For teachers: characterised by opposition to political or social liberalisation or reform; seeking a return to a previous state of affairs.

- The politician's reactionary views on education made him unpopular with younger voters.
- The regime adopted increasingly reactionary policies in an attempt to suppress the growing demand for democratic reforms among the urban population.

### 2. a person opposing change

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who strongly opposes social or political change.

For teachers: a person who holds extremely conservative political views and opposes social progress.

- He was described as a reactionary who hated any kind of modern technology.
- Historians often describe the group not merely as conservatives, but as reactionaries who sought to dismantle the entire post-war social contract.

### 3. chemical reaction

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

related to or causing a chemical reaction.

For teachers: pertaining to, participating in, or inducing a chemical reaction.

- The scientist studied the reactionary properties of the two gases when mixed.
- The reactionary potential of the compound was significantly heightened by the introduction of a catalyst under high-pressure conditions.

Usage: In modern scientific contexts, 'reactive' is much more common than 'reactionary'.

### 4. acting in response

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

happening as a direct result of something else.

For teachers: occurring in response to a stimulus or as a result of a previous action.

- The company's reactionary measures were taken only after the scandal became public.
- The board's decision was purely reactionary, failing to address the underlying systemic issues that had caused the initial crisis.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.