conservative

plural conservatives

1. A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.

   During the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, this commitment brought him into frequent critical confrontation with entrenched forms of conservative thinking (in academic areas from history and social science to the more abstract domains of ethical and political philosophy),[…]

   1999, Nicholas Walker, “The Reorientation of Critical Theory: Habermas”, in Simon Glemdinning, editor, The Edinburgh Encyclopedia of Continental Philosophy, Routledge, →ISBN, page 489

2. governmentOne who seeks to promote or preserve traditional values or institutions.

   If there’s a down side to the film, it’s that “Soros” probably doesn’t devote enough time to the way its subject has become a favorite bogeyman to conservatives that paint him as the guiding hand behind grassroots campaigns by those intent on discrediting them.

   2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2026

3. CanadaUSespeciallygovernmentOne who seeks to promote traditions in a particular domain (e.g. a fiscal conservative or a social conservative).

comparative more conservative · superlative most conservative

1. Cautious, moderate.

   The chef added a conservative amount of salt to the dish.

2. Tending to resist change or innovation.

   The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.

   2 more examples

   India is a conservative land. The gods do not change.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   Those who defend him [Hegel] against the charge of conservative bias point out with truth that he believes in a tribunal of Reason to distinguish between what is truly real and what appears real but is no longer 'essential', maintaining a purely empirical existence and destined soon to be swept away.

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume I: The Founders, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: powstanie (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 77

3. Based on pessimistic assumptions, and on the low side.

   At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.

4. CanadaUSeconomicsSupporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.

   George Soros remains a favorite target of conservative conspiracy theorists, seeing his corrupting influence behind every liberal movement and within every nook and cranny.

   2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2026

   1 more example

   Newspapers in "capitalist" ownership, universities presided over by "reactionary" governing bodies, broadcasting systems owned by conservative governments have all been known to influence public opinion in the direction of socialism, because this was the conviction of the personnel.

   1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 421

5. UKgovernmentRelating to the Conservative Party.

   We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party.

   1830, Quarterly Rev.

6. not comparablenatural sciencesNeither creating nor destroying a given quantity.
7. Having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.

   Without the conservative organs, the body would receive no nourishment; and without nourishment, it would soon decay and perish.

   1841, The New British and Foreign Temperance Magazine, page 202

8. JudaismRelating to Conservative Judaism.
9. businessConventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
10. medicineNot including any operation or intervention (said of a treatment, see conservative treatment)

    Operative treatment should be reserved for those patients in whom conservative treatment has failed and who are motivated with regard to sports.

    2000, G. Puddu et al., “Achilles Tendon Injuries”, in The Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine, →ISBN, page 200

11. human sciencesHaving few changes relative to an older form, especially in comparison to related varieties.

    While innovative in its verbal system, Sardinian is the most conservative Romance language in its vocabulary and phonology.

    1 more example

    In spite of the vague evidence, I think that we may conclude that ME ǭ, like ME ę̄, had two pronunciations during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a more advanced pronunciation with close [oː], and a more conservative one with the ‘intermediate vowel’ [ɔː] […]

    1957, E[ric] J. Dobson, English pronunciation 1500-1700, second edition, volume II: Phonology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1968, →OCLC, § 145, page 673

12. calculusThat is the gradient of a function.
13. evolutionary theory(Of traits, genes, or structures:) Having persisted across different species with little or no change over long periods of evolutionary history.

plural Conservatives

1. A member of a political party incorporating the word "Conservative" in its name.
   1. UKgovernmentA member of the Conservative party.

      "Avanti has literally broken records over the last six months for delays and cancellations, and the Conservatives' answer is to reward failure with millions more in taxpayer cash," said Labour Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

      2023 April 5, “Network News: Conservatives accused of "rewarding Avanti's failure"”, in RAIL, number 980, page 6

   2. CanadagovernmentA member or supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada, or its predecessors, or provincial equivalents, or their predecessors

      Synonyms: Tory, Blue

2. Judaismpertaining to Conservative Judaism