conservative

conservative — 形容詞

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

1.形容詞B1
釋義

保守的

不喜歡改變，傾向維持傳統

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

例句

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

Megan 的祖父母相當保守，現在仍然聽他們五十年前就喜歡的廣播節目。

collocation: quite conservative

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

那個村莊在家庭事務上抱持保守的觀念，寧可維持長久以來的傳統，也不接受現代的改變。

collocation: conservative views on [topic]

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    suggests something is out of date; often carries a mildly negative tone

反義詞
  • progressive

    actively supports social change and new ideas

  • radical

    favours extreme or fundamental change

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B1
釋義

樸素的

衣著打扮不追求時髦

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

例句

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

為了工作面試，Eve 穿了一套樸素的灰色套裝，沒有佩戴任何飾品。

collocation: conservative suit / conservative dress

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

Xiu 偏好樸素的穿著，從不買顏色鮮豔或圖案奇怪的衣物。

同義詞
  • modest

    emphasises covering the body; stronger moral undertone

  • plain

    focuses on simplicity without decoration; neutral tone

反義詞
  • trendy

    following the latest fashions

  • showy

    attracting attention through flashy style

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B2
釋義

審慎的

數字或估計偏低但穩妥的

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

例句

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

營造商對屋頂維修提出了審慎的估價，大約一萬兩千美元。

collocation: conservative estimate

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

即使按照最保守的計算，也有超過三萬人參加了這場音樂節。

collocation: by conservative calculations

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • generous

    deliberately high or optimistic estimate

  • liberal

    in measurements, allowing for more than the minimum

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B2
釋義

右派的

支持保守主義政黨或政策的

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

例句

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

右派政黨承諾為小企業減稅，贏得了選舉。

collocation: conservative party

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

Nicholas 出身於一個保守派家庭，長期投票給同一個政黨。

同義詞
  • right-wing

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

  • Republican

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

反義詞

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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 — 名詞