reactionary

/ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/

//ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"reactionary" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reactionary” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,909 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#21,909
frequency rank, English
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Extremely conservative; opposing revolution (such as the French Revolution); favoring a return to a "golden age" of the past.

Key facts for reactionary
PropertyValue
Headwordreactionary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/
Letters11
Frequency rank#21,909
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reactionary” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). reactionary lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for reactionary is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,909 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for reactionary, with forms such as "eractionary", "raectionary", and "reacctionary". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French réactionnaire, equivalent to reaction + -ary. Used in the time of the French revolution to refer to a person opposing the revolution; as in favoring a reaction against the revolution. The correct English form is reactionary, spelled R-E-A-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Extremely conservative; opposing revolution (such as the French Revolution); favoring a return to a "golden age" of the past.
  2. 2
    Of, pertaining to, participating in, or inducing a chemical reaction.
  3. 3
    In reaction to; as a result of.

Etymology

Borrowed from French réactionnaire, equivalent to reaction + -ary. Used in the time of the French revolution to refer to a person opposing the revolution; as in favoring a reaction against the revolution.

This word in other languages

reaccionario(Español)réactionnaire(Français)reaktionär(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eractionary,raectionary,reacctionary,reacitonary,reactinoary,reactioanry,reactionarry,reactionaryy,reactionayr,reactionnary,reactionray,reactoinary,reacttionary,reatcionary,recationary,rreactionary

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reactionary - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eractionary2raectionary2reacctionary1reacitonary2reactinoary2reactioanry2reactionarry1reactionaryy1
Edit distance from "reactionary"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "reactionary"?
"reactionary" is spelled R-E-A-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/.
What does "reactionary" mean?
As an adjective, "reactionary" means: Extremely conservative; opposing revolution (such as the French Revolution); favoring a return to a "golden age" of the past.
What are common misspellings of "reactionary"?
Common misspellings include "eractionary", "raectionary", "reacctionary", "reacitonary", "reactinoary". The correct spelling is "reactionary".
How do you pronounce "reactionary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reactionary" is /ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "reactionary"?
Borrowed from French réactionnaire, equivalent to reaction + -ary. Used in the time of the French revolution to refer to a person opposing the revolution; as in favoring a reaction against the revolution. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “reactionary”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-A-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹiˈækʃən(ə)ɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list