Define Reactionary Meaning

Reactionary
1. A reactionary is, generally speaking, someone who is not only opposed to change, but wants to roll the clock back on any changes that have already happened. This stands in contrast to a conservative, who wants to maintain the status quo.

2. In what is either an Orwellian attempt to rewrite language, or the result of the defense mechanism known as projection, the word "reactionary" is also used by reactionaries as a slur against anyone who is not a reactionary.

1. The economic policies of Ronald Reagan were reactionary, because they rolled back many of the regulations and protections that had been created during the 20th century, based on the very same laissez faire economic theories that had previously resulted in the Great Depression.

2. I hate these reactionaries who advocate an expansion of the rights of marginalized people. We should send them back to the days when no one ever heard or cared about trans women getting stabbed to death; that would teach them who was boss.
By Helen-Elizabeth
Reactionary
A term used by college socialists and neo-Marxists to describe anyone with political views to the right of Mao. The word has its roots in the Communist model of history, where all of human history is supposedly one long class struggle between the working class and the bourgeois.

Chuck took an Uber on the Uber strike day! And last week, he told me he doesn’t believe in a 90% tax rate for the rich. He’s such a reactionary.
By Bertine
Reactionary
Someone who "reacts" to change. Specifically reacts to social and cultural progress. A rejection of structure based on objective reality.

This is seen often in the far-left and is most commonly attributed to elements of it that reject social progress (ironically calling their rejection of progress as progress) and prefer a return to no formal social structure or culture, similar to primitivism. Ironically, as typical in leftist circles, the left tries to take such words and weaponize them against their enemies by giving them the opposite meaning. Similar to "fair-share" to the leftist meaning 0% taxes for some citizens and 80% taxes for the ebil nazi working class.

Antifa, and the modern uneducated leftist, is reactionary to the progress of Western society, and wished to return to a form of communal unstructured society often found in chimpanzee society.
By Carlina
Reactionary
one who supports Reaction in opposition to the general progressive Western zeitgeist, often accompanied by a sense that the expansion of democratic politcs has made life in general much worse either in absolute terms, or measured by what should have been achievable with modern science, reason, and technology; usually believes race is a real genetic construct and therefore not surprised at disparate average outcomes across large population groups; often believes human evolution has in part or in toto shaped human nature, which therefore cannot easily, or at all, be changed very much by social engineering and/or conditioning; usually believes heirarchy is imprinted upon mankind by nature and/or God, and that heirarchy is not only not necessarily evil, but desirable and even inevitable and ought not be torn down for any but the most grave reasons; tends to support tradition either as revealed by his religion and/or as successful adaptive memetic developments which usually solve deep and complex problems in human societies; anti-revolutionary; anti-socialist; anti-communist; anti-whig; anti-democratic; anti-globalist; skeptical; (once a term of derision, most reactionaries of late do happily so self-identify)

Tom suddenly realized he couldn't find a single Republican at the convention who didn't hail FDR anything less than a great hero. He remembered knowing conservatives in his youth who opposed both FDR and WWII. But where were they now? They had disappeared, but their thoughts and words had not. Tom hadn't changed his mind about much in the past 25 years, but he suddenly realized he was a Reactionary.
By Ailee
Reactionary
A person too stupid to think through the consequences of actions.

Joe was attending the MAGA rally when a man with a sign walked by. Joe yelled at him, "Fucking libtard commie asshole!"
The man with the sign turned just as Joe's fist connected with his face. The man dropped his "Make America Great Again" sign face up. Joe saw it and said, "Oh damn, I thought you were one of those hippy protesters."
The man was twice the size of Joe, and now he was pissed. Much like Joe, he was also a reactionary. Joe got his ass kicked.
By Germain
Reactionary
Having old political and social views. Being ultraconservative. Reactionaries like to reminisce about the good old days when slavery, sexism, racism and cruel/unusal punishment were prominent.

Reactionaries biggest fear:
When straight white men no longer rule the U.S.
By Alicea
Reactionary
extreme conservatism, especially in politics. wanting to restore to past conditions that can no longer compete with modern changes.

Former radical hippies turning into post reactionary hippies

The "reactionary" elders of this country held on to the belief that someday after the reign of republican presidents the figure of chieftain or king will be restored as the political head figure once again.
By Evonne
Reactionary
Someone who formed his opinion based on a recent event while disregarding the past knowledge or information.

X : My team just lost the game, they should fire the coach.
Y: Don't be reactionary.
By Emera
Reactionary
Reactionary or Reactionaries are normally on the right political spectrum normally in the form of Pro-Monarchist, Less moderate conservatives and or anti-socialist and anti-communist. Though the left has their own reactionaries in the form of anarchist or less moderate socialist or democratic socialist. Though this is not always the case and most of the time they are just radical forms of an already existing ideology. Radical is being used as more instant unlike moderates who like change over time and radicals do not always equals bad or negative ideologies. They’re also reactionary centrist called Radical Centerist or Radical Liberals which they are called in the media.

The revaluation in France had many people hating the royalty, though reactionary conservatives support the king seeing how savage some revolutionaries are.
By Coretta
Reactionary
verb: (colloquial)as a reaction or response to something.

It was reactionary when the people voted against the senate.
By Lynnette