conservatively

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adverb

In a conservative manner.

Less commonScrabble 25

Meanings

adverbconservatively (comparative more conservatively, superlative most conservatively)

comparative more conservatively · superlative most conservatively

  1. In a conservative manner.

    Even more than that: the more conservatively inclined man of first class ability will in general choose intellectual work (and the sacrifice in material reward which this choice usually entails) only if he enjoys it for its own sake.

    1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 427
    1 more example

    The entire tense, compact play takes place inside a subway car where an exchange between a flamboyantly loose blonde of about 30, Lula (Jennifer Mudge), and a conservatively dressed young black man, Clay (Dulé Hill ), escalates from surreally unsuppressed flirtation to violence and tragedy as all of Clay’s efforts toward assimilation are shown to be for naught.

    2007 January 24, Ginia Bellafante, “’60s Prejudice and Capitalism as a Big Blond Metaphor”, in New York Times

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbin a conservative manner

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishconservative
  2. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  3. Proto-Germanic*līką
  4. Englishconservatively

From conservative + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish konserwatywnie
  • konserwatywniein a conservative manner
Cite this entry
APA

conservatively. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conservatively

MLA

“conservatively.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conservatively. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “conservatively,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conservatively.

Source: conservatively on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.