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Reaction vs Reactionary - What's the difference?

reaction | reactionary |

In chemistry terms the difference between reaction and reactionary

is that reaction is a transformation in which one or more substances is converted into another by combination or decomposition while reactionary is of, pertaining to, participating in or inducing a chemical reaction.

As nouns the difference between reaction and reactionary

is that reaction is an action or statement in response to a stimulus or other event while reactionary is one who is opposed to change.

As an adjective reactionary is

opposed to change; urging a return to a previous state.

reaction

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An action or statement in response to a stimulus or other event
    • The announcement of the verdict brought a violent reaction .
    You were in the courtroom. What is your reaction ?
    When I last tried to eat strawberries I had a terrible allergic reaction .
  • (chemistry) A transformation in which one or more substances is converted into another by combination or decomposition
    • In this reaction , the acid and base will neutralize each other, producing a salt.

    Related terms

    * chain reaction * mixed reactions * react * reactant * reaction time * reactor * reactional

    Anagrams

    * English words suffixed with -tion

    reactionary

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Opposed to change; urging a return to a previous state.
  • Very conservative.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , date = 2011-09-29 , title = The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism from Edmund Burke to Sarah Palin , author = Corey Robin , location = New York , publisher = Oxford University Press , isbn = 9780199793747 , ol = 25101368M , page = 25 , pageurl = http://books.google.com/books?id=CWxIz_Gm9WMC&pg=PA25&dq=reactionary , passage = There's a fairly simple reason for the embrace of radicalism on the right, and it has to do with the reactionary imperative that lies at the core of conservative doctrine. If he is to preserve what he values, the conservative must declare war against the culture as it is. }}
  • (chemistry) Of, pertaining to, participating in or inducing a chemical reaction.
  • * 2013 , Brandon Smith, Are Individuals The Property Of The Collective?
    • Psychiatry extends the theory into biology in the belief that all human behavior is nothing more than a series of reactionary chemical processes in the brain that determine pre-coded genetic responses built up from the conditioning of one’s environment.

    Antonyms

    * nonreactionary

    Noun

    (wikipedia reactionary) (reactionaries)
  • One who is opposed to change.
  • One who is very conservative.