conservative

A person whose political beliefs support traditional values and institutions and oppose major changes.

• He is a political conservative.
• Conservatives and liberals disagreed about the new law.
• Many conservatives supported the candidate’s promise to protect traditional institutions.

Similar words: right-winger

Opposites: progressive

Common phrases: political conservative, moderate conservative, a conservative, committed conservative

A person who prefers existing or traditional ways and does not welcome change.

• My uncle is a conservative at heart.
• The conservatives on the committee opposed the new teaching methods.
• Even a conservative can welcome some changes.

Similar words: traditionalist

Opposites: progressive

Common phrases: a conservative, lifelong conservative, conservative at heart

A member of the political party called the Conservative Party.

• She is a Conservative.
• Two Conservatives voted against their party’s proposal.
• The local Conservative won a seat in Parliament.

Similar words: Tory

Common phrases: a Conservative, Conservative leader, Conservative candidate, Conservative in parliament

A person who favors limited government spending, low taxes, and careful control of public money.

• He calls himself a fiscal conservative.
• Fiscal conservatives opposed the increase in public spending.
• She is a conservative on budget matters but supports social reforms.

Similar words: fiscal conservative

Common phrases: fiscal conservative, economic conservative, budget conservative

A person who supports traditional ideas about family, religion, and how people should behave.

• She describes herself as a social conservative.
• Social conservatives supported the campaign to protect traditional family values.
• The proposal divided social conservatives and people seeking changes to marriage laws.

Similar words: social traditionalist

Opposites: social liberal

Common phrases: social conservative, religious conservative, committed social conservative

Preferring traditional ways and avoiding changes to them.

• Her family is quite conservative.
• He has conservative views about family life.
• The town remained conservative despite changes in the wider society.

Similar words: traditional, traditionalist

Opposites: progressive

Common phrases: conservative views, conservative values, conservative family, conservative attitudes

Carefully chosen to avoid being too high or optimistic, often lower than the real amount.

• That is a conservative estimate.
• Even conservative forecasts suggest that sales will double.
• Our conservative figure excludes several costs that may arise later.

Similar words: cautious, restrained

Opposites: optimistic

Common phrases: conservative estimate, conservative figure, conservative forecast, conservative projection

Careful about taking risks or using more than is needed.

• Use a conservative amount of oil.
• The doctor recommended a conservative approach to treatment.
• They were conservative with their investments during the crisis.

How to use it: conservative with something (Be conservative with the salt until you have tasted the soup.)

Similar words: cautious, moderate, restrained

Opposites: reckless

Common phrases: conservative approach, conservative amount, conservative treatment, conservative strategy