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neoconservative

neoconservative

11 8.8
A person who supports strong government, military action abroad and traditional social values
  • noun
  • /ˌniːoʊkənˈsɜːrvətɪv/
  • Literature
translation icon : neoconservador
  • There were also some differences among the neoconservatives, principally the motivating factors that caused them to endorse the ideology.
  • neoconservative ideology
  • neoconservative view
  • neoconservative foreign policy

Examples

  • In addition to these ideological suppositions, there are several personal characteristics that link the neoconservatives.

    Academic text (1990)
  • A partial reason for this lies in his deep religious faith and the neoconservative view on religion.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The attacks of September 11, 2001, gave weight to neoconservative arguments and colored Bush's thinking.

    Academic text (2003)
  • With the emergence of the so-called neoconservatives in this country in the early 1970s, the balance has somewhat shifted.

    Academic text (1997)
  • With the marked rise of the neoconservatives during the administration of George W. Bush, AEI has become even more influential.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The lessons of Iraq had not deterred the neoconservatives or the interventionist liberals.

    Blog text (5)
  • Many neoconservatives advocate for a strong military presence in international affairs.

  • As a neoconservative, she believes in promoting democracy through assertive foreign policies.

  • The conference featured several prominent neoconservatives discussing their vision for future governance.

Synonyms

Conservative
vsneoconservative
  • UK
453 3.7

A person who supports the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom

is an ideological stance favoring tradition and assertive foreign policy not only party membership
neocon
vsneoconservative
  • Literature
33 9.6

A politician or thinker who supports strong military action abroad and free markets

favours assertive foreign policy but supports a stronger government role
right-winger
vsneoconservative
30 5.4

A person who supports conservative or traditional political ideas

includes those positions but adds a specific preference for assertive foreign action
archconservative
vsneoconservative
1 9.2

A person with very traditional political views who strongly opposes change

shares strict traditionalism but is less focused only on opposing change
ultraconservative
vsneoconservative
1 8.5

A person who strongly supports traditional beliefs and opposes social change

overlaps in extremity but emphasizes strong government and foreign assertiveness too
conservativist
vsneoconservative
8.5

A person who does not like change and new ideas

also emphasizes assertive foreign policy and strong government beyond mere tradition

Antonyms

651 3.9

A person who supports social change and people's rights

105 5.1

A person who supports social and political change to make society fairer

Surface Forms

Morphology

neoconservative = conservative (semi-transparent) = neo + conservative

The morphological composition 'neo' + 'conservative' is clear, but the term denotes a specific political movement and set of policy positions that are not fully predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Neoconservative breaks into neo- meaning 'new' and conservative, which is like conserve and means 'to keep' or 'protect' old ideas. So a neoconservative is someone who wants to keep traditional values but with new, more active ways in politics, especially in how they deal with other countries.