con·ser·va·tive
kən-ˈsər-və-tiv 
1
a
: of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism
b
Conservative
: of or constituting a political party professing the principles of conservatism: such as
(1)
: of or constituting a party of the United Kingdom advocating support of established institutions
(2)
2
a
: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions : traditional
conservative policies
b
: marked by moderation or caution
a conservative estimate
c
: marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners
a conservative suit
a conservative architectural style
3
Conservative
: of, relating to, or practicing Conservative Judaism
4
conservatively
adverb
conservativeness
noun
1
a
: an adherent or advocate of political conservatism
b
Conservative
: a member or supporter of a conservative political party
2
a
: one who adheres to traditional methods or views
b
: a cautious or discreet person
Synonyms
Examples of conservative in a Sentence
Adjective
She is a liberal Democrat who married a conservative Republican.
She's more conservative now than she was in college.
Noun
His message is being well received by conservatives.
proposed legislation that was opposed by conservatives throughout the state
Recent Examples on the Web
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 27 June 2024
The doctrine may be familiar to the seven Justices—including all six in the conservative majority—who were raised in the Catholic Church.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
Tony Romm The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 1 July 2024
Recommended Creativity Rebels with a religious cause: Meet New York’s avant-garde conservatives
Ten cameras are installed in each of the host stadiums, which UEFA says track 29 different points of the body on every player.
—James Robson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for conservative 
Adjective
As a moderate candidate gains ground ahead of Friday's presidential election, conservative politicians in the Islamic Republic are trying to distance themselves from lightning-rod laws forcing women to cover themselves.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 27 June 2024
The doctrine may be familiar to the seven Justices—including all six in the conservative majority—who were raised in the Catholic Church.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
Noun
Mere hours after the Supreme Court sharply curbed the power of federal agencies, conservatives and corporate lobbyists began plotting how to harness the favorable ruling in a redoubled quest to whittle down climate, finance, health, labor and technology regulations in Washington.
—Tony Romm The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 1 July 2024
Recommended Creativity Rebels with a religious cause: Meet New York’s avant-garde conservatives
Ten cameras are installed in each of the host stadiums, which UEFA says track 29 different points of the body on every player.
—James Robson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for conservative
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conservative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near conservative
Cite this Entry
“Conservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservative. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conservative
1 of 2 adjective
con·ser·va·tive
kən-ˈsər-vət-iv
1
: tending to conserve or preserve
2
: of or relating to conservatism
3
: tending to preserve existing views, conditions, or institutions : traditional
5
: being in agreement with the usual standards of taste or manners
a conservative suit
conservatively
adverb
conservativeness
noun
conservative
2 of 2 noun
: a person who is conservative especially in politics
Medical Definition
conservative
adjective
con·ser·va·tive
kən-ˈsər-vət-iv
: not extreme or drastic
especially
: designed to preserve parts or restore or preserve function
conservative treatment of prostate cancer by watchful waiting or hormonal therapy in contrast to radical prostatectomy
compare aggressive sense 3, radical entry 1
conservatively
adverb
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