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Showing results for conservatism. Search instead for panspermatism.
Synonyms

conservatism

American  
[kuhn-sur-vuh-tiz-uhm] / kənˈsɜr vəˌtɪz əm /

noun

  1. the disposition to preserve or restore what is established and traditional and to limit change.

  2. the principles and practices of political conservatives.

Conservatism 1 British  
/ kənˈsɜːvəˌtɪzəm /

noun

  1. the form of conservatism advocated by the Conservative Party

  2. the policies, doctrines, or practices of the Conservative Party

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
conservatism 2 British  
/ kənˈsɜːvəˌtɪzəm /

noun

  1. opposition to change and innovation

  2. a political philosophy advocating the preservation of the best of the established order in society and opposing radical change

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
conservatism Cultural  

  1. A general preference for the existing order of society, and an opposition to efforts to bring about sharp change. (Compare liberalism.)

Other Word Forms

  • anticonservatism noun
  • hyperconservatism noun
  • overconservatism noun

Etymology

Origin of conservatism

First recorded in 1825–35; conservat(ive) + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His strident nationalism over the border conflict with Cambodia, his staunch support for the army and his intense loyalty to King Vajiralongkorn all defined him clearly as the standard-bearer for Thai conservatism.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

Other analysts liked that American has already included the storm’s effects and some conservatism in its guidance for the current quarter.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026

Long overshadowed by south Nigeria's Nollywood, filmmakers in the north of Africa's cinema powerhouse are pushing boundaries in search of international eyeballs -- all while navigating the Muslim-majority region's social conservatism.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

These are the mainstream of Australian conservatism and the Australian right.

From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025

Was there anything about the Chinese environment predisposing toward Confucian philosophy and cultural conservatism, which may also have profoundly affected history?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.