conservatism

noun

kən-ˈsər-və-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce conservatism (audio)
Definition of conservatismnext
as in conservativeness
attitudes or opinions tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions the state's well-known conservatism means that progressive legislation always has an uphill battle

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conservatism There are some lingering elements of conservatism in eharmony, particularly its questions about faith and politics, but at least the app allows same-sex dating. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026 The overall design philosophy was one of deliberate conservatism; at every methodological decision point, the team chose the more cautious estimate, ensuring that the final numbers would be credible and defensible rather than optimistic. — Nino Letteriello, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Although much tradwife social content is not overtly political, the tradwife trend is strongly correlated with political conservatism, and some content openly spreads anti-feminist sentiment and far-right values and conspiracy theories. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026 The film centers on three women in a remote Bangladeshi village – blind Momi, schoolgirl Hima, and pregnant Laili – who dream of escaping a world shaped by superstition and religious conservatism, with consequences that grow increasingly dire for each of them. — Jenny S. Li, Variety, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for conservatism

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conservations
conservatism
conservative
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Cite this Entry

“Conservatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conservatism. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conservatism

Nglish: Translation of conservatism for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conservatism

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