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Reactionary vs Reactive - What's the difference?

reactionary | reactive |

In chemistry terms the difference between reactionary and reactive

is that reactionary is of, pertaining to, participating in or inducing a chemical reaction while reactive is that readily takes part in reactions.

As adjectives the difference between reactionary and reactive

is that reactionary is opposed to change; urging a return to a previous state while reactive is that reacts or responds to a stimulus.

As a noun reactionary

is one who is opposed to change.

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.

    • reactive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • that reacts or responds to a stimulus
  • (chemistry) that readily takes part in reactions
    • francium is the most reactive of the alkali metals.
  • (electronics) Characterized by induction or capacitance rather than resistance.
  • Reacting to the past rather than anticipating the future, not predictive.

    • Derived terms

    * reactive armour * reactive arthritis * reactive centre * reactive depression * reactive distillation * reactive dye * reactive homeostasis * reactive hyperemia * reactive hypoglycemia * reactive intermediate * reactive ion etching * reactive lymphocyte * reactive schizophrenia * reactive search * reactive load

    Anagrams

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