Conservative — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /kən-ˈsər-və-tiv/ con·ser·va·tive

Meaning & Definition of Conservative

Conservative (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or favoring a philosophy of conservatism, especially political conservatism and often also social conservatism
  2. of or constituting a political party professing the principles of conservatism
  3. of or constituting a country's Conservative party

Conservative (noun)

  1. a person who is conservative
  2. an adherent or advocate of conservatism and especially political conservatism
  3. a member or supporter of a Conservative political party

Conservative (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions

    "conservative baseball fans consider the new ballpark too modern-looking and plain ugly"

    similar: archconservative, brassbound, button-down, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, old-school, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive
    related: conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, Tory, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary
    opposite: broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox
    near: anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical

  2. not excessively showy

    "dressing in conservative outfits so as to make a good impression at job interviews"

    similar: low-key, muted, quiet, repressed, restrained, sober, subdued, toned-down, understated, unflashy, unpretentious
    related: appropriate, becoming, fit, fitting, proper, suitable, modest, plain, simple, unadorned, undecorated, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, graceful, handsome, refined, tasteful, drab, mousy, practical, sensible
    opposite: flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, ostentatious, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank
    near: meretricious, graceless, inelegant, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, trashy, vulgar, baroque, fancy, frilly, gilded, ornate, rococo, overdecorated, overdone, overwrought

  3. having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble

    "made conservative investments, and so he wasn't ruined when the market went into a free fall"

    similar: alert, careful, cautious, chary, circumspect, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful, safe, wary
    related: advertent, attentive, awake, observant, regardful, vigilant, watchful, hypercautious, foresighted, foresightful, forethoughtful, provident, thoughtful, cagey, calculating, canny, shrewd, deliberate, slow, ultracareful, ultracautious
    opposite: careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary
    near: bold, brash, impetuous, rash, reckless, venturesome, asleep, inattentive, regardless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, lax, neglectful, negligent, remiss, imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, absentminded, forgetful, inadvertent, unintentional, unplanned

Conservative (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are

    "proposed legislation that was opposed by conservatives throughout the state"

    similar: archconservative, paleoconservative, reactionary, rightist, right-winger, Tory, traditionalist
    related: right, right-wing, conformist, neocon, neoconservative, diehard, standpatter, bourbon, Colonel Blimp, fuddy-duddy, square, stuffed shirt
    opposite: leftist, left-winger, lefty, liberal, progressive
    near: extremist, radical, red, revolutionary, revolutionist, reformer, reformist

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Conservative

The most common words with a similar meaning to Conservative:

archconservative, brassbound, button-down, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, old-school, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive, low-key, muted, quiet, repressed, restrained, sober, subdued, toned-down, understated, unflashy, unpretentious, alert, careful, cautious, chary, circumspect, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful, safe, wary, rightist

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Conservative

Words with the opposite meaning of Conservative:

broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox, flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, ostentatious, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank, careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary

Related Words for Conservative

conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary, appropriate, becoming, fit

Near Antonyms of Conservative

anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical, meretricious, graceless, inelegant, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, trashy, vulgar, baroque, fancy, frilly, gilded, ornate, rococo, overdecorated, overdone

Word Forms of Conservative

Inflections: conservatives

Derived words: conservatively (adverb), conservativeness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Conservative

Middle English conservatif "tending to protect or preserve," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin conservātīvus, from Latin conservātus, past participle of conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" + -īvus -ive conserve:1

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Conservative

Words & Phrases Containing Conservative

Conservative Judaism, anti-conservative, super-conservative

Frequently Asked Questions about Conservative

What does "Conservative" mean?

"Conservative" means of, relating to, or favoring a philosophy of conservatism, especially political conservatism and often also social conservatism. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of, relating to, or favoring a philosophy of conservatism, especially political conservatism and often also social conservatism. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Conservative"?

Other words for "Conservative" include archconservative, brassbound, button-down, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned and old-line. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Conservative" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Conservative"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Conservative". Common alternatives include archconservative, brassbound, button-down, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, old-school and orthodox.

What is the opposite of "Conservative"?

Antonyms of "Conservative" include broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional and open-minded. Near antonyms include anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional and extremist.

How do you use "Conservative" in a sentence?

Examples of "Conservative" in a sentence: "conservative baseball fans consider the new ballpark too modern-looking and plain ugly"; "dressing in conservative outfits so as to make a good impression at job interviews"; "made conservative investments, and so he wasn't ruined when the market went into a free fall".

Is "Conservative" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Conservative" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Conservative" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Conservative" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Conservative"?

"Conservative" is pronounced /kən-ˈsər-və-tiv/ and divided into syllables as con·ser·va·tive.