conservative

conservative — adjective

1. holding established customs, social practices, and beliefs in high regard, and b

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

holding established customs, social practices, and beliefs in high regard, and being slow to accept new or different ways of doing things.

Example

Megan's grandparents are quite conservative and still listen to the same radio shows they enjoyed fifty years ago.

collocation: quite conservative

The village holds conservative views on family matters and prefers long-standing traditions over modern changes.

collocation: conservative views on [topic]

Common collocations
  • conservative values
  • conservative views
  • conservative approach
  • conservative attitude
  • conservative about
Synonyms
  • traditional

    focuses on customs passed down through generations; less political than conservative

  • conventional

    follows widely accepted social norms; lacks the emotional charge of conservative

  • old-fashioned

    suggests something is out of date; often carries a mildly negative tone

Antonyms
  • progressive

    actively supports social change and new ideas

  • radical

    favours extreme or fundamental change

Usage Note

Can express either positive respect for stability or negative resistance to progress, depending on context.

Common Mistakes

She is conservative and loves trying new restaurants every week.
She is conservative and only eats at family-owned restaurants she has known for years.
A conservative person prefers familiar things and is reluctant to try new ones.

2. choosing plain, traditional, or modest clothing, hairstyles, and grooming styles

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

choosing plain, traditional, or modest clothing, hairstyles, and grooming styles instead of following current fashion trends.

Example

For her job interview, Eve wore a conservative gray suit without any jewelry.

collocation: conservative suit / conservative dress

Xiu prefers conservative clothing and never buys anything with bright colours or unusual patterns.

Common collocations
  • conservative dress
  • conservative clothing
  • conservative suit
  • conservative style
  • conservative haircut
Synonyms
  • modest

    emphasises covering the body; stronger moral undertone

  • plain

    focuses on simplicity without decoration; neutral tone

Antonyms
  • trendy

    following the latest fashions

  • showy

    attracting attention through flashy style

Usage Note

Often used for professional or formal settings where flashy or revealing clothing is considered inappropriate.

Common Mistakes

He wore a conservative black tuxedo covered in gold patterns.
He wore a conservative black suit without any decorations.
A conservative style is plain and avoids ornamentation.

3. deliberately kept low, moderate, or cautious so as not to overstate the actual f

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

deliberately kept low, moderate, or cautious so as not to overstate the actual figure — used of numbers, guesses, calculations, or predictions.

Example

The builder gave a conservative estimate of twelve thousand dollars for the roof repairs.

collocation: conservative estimate

Even by conservative calculations, over thirty thousand people attended the festival.

collocation: by conservative calculations

Common collocations
  • conservative estimate
  • conservative calculation
  • conservative guess
  • conservative figure
  • conservative price
Synonyms
  • cautious

    broader — can describe any action; less tied to numbers

  • moderate

    suggests a middle position; not deliberately low

  • understated

    suggests intentionally playing down the true figure

Antonyms
  • generous

    deliberately high or optimistic estimate

  • liberal

    in measurements, allowing for more than the minimum

Usage Note

Applies only to measurable quantities — prices, distances, times, numbers of people. Not used for general cautiousness in action.

Common Mistakes

The conservative estimate of 200 guests was much too high.
The conservative estimate of 50 guests was much lower than the 200 who actually came.
A conservative estimate is deliberately low, not high.

4. relating to the political right and supporting policies that emphasize free mark

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the political right and supporting policies that emphasize free markets, limited government involvement, and traditional social values.

Example

The conservative party won the election by promising lower taxes for small businesses.

collocation: conservative party

Nicholas comes from a conservative family that has always voted for the same political party.

Common collocations
  • conservative party
  • conservative government
  • conservative policy
  • conservative politician
  • conservative voter
Synonyms
  • right-wing

    more general term for the political right; can describe extreme positions

  • Republican

    US-specific; not all Republicans are conservatives and vice versa

Antonyms

Usage Note

When capitalised (Conservative), refers specifically to the British Conservative Party. Lowercase (conservative) refers to general centre-right political views worldwide.

Common Mistakes

She is a conservative who believes in free healthcare for all citizens.
She is a conservative who believes in lower taxes and less government spending.
Conservative political views typically favour smaller government and free-market policies.

conservative — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Traditional, conventional, old-fashioned, and cautious all overlap with conservative but differ in scope and tone. Traditional emphasises customs handed down across generations ('traditional wedding ceremonies') and is the most neutral of the group. Conventional describes what matches current social norms ('conventional office attire') — it can change as norms change. Old-fashioned carries a stronger sense of being outdated or past its time ('old-fashioned parenting methods') and often has a mildly negative or dismissive tone. Cautious is about avoiding risk and is not specifically tied to social values at all ('a cautious driver'). Conservative adds a layer of deliberate resistance to change. For example: you might describe a person's views on marriage as "traditional" (neutral), "conventional" (following the majority), "old-fashioned" (out of step with modern views), or "conservative" (actively preferring the old way and opposing the new).

traditional ↗conventional ↗old-fashioned ↗cautious ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • by nature
  • when it comes to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Conservative comes from the Latin verb 'conservare', meaning 'to keep, preserve, guard'. This is formed from 'com-' (together, with) and 'servare' (to keep watch, maintain). The word entered English through Old French 'conservatif' in the 1300s, originally meaning 'tending to preserve'. The political sense emerged in the early 1800s, during the French Revolution era, to describe parties and politicians who wanted to preserve existing social and political structures rather than adopt radical reforms.