conformist
One who conforms
A conformist is someone who follows prevailing standards, attitudes, or practices rather than thinking or acting independently.
The word often carries a negative connotation, suggesting a lack of originality or courage: He dismissed them as conformists who never questioned authority.
As an adjective, conformist describes behavior or attitudes that align with social expectations: conformist tendencies, a conformist culture.
Following accepted practices
- orthodoxConforming to established belief
- conservativeCautious about altering customs
- establishmentFounded organization or venue
- bourgeoisMiddle-class and conventional
old-fashioned · strait-laced · buttoned-down · proper · respectable · square · staid · stuffy
Uncritical agreeable subordinate
- groupieObsessive celebrity follower
- sheepWoolly farm animal
- lemmingSmall arctic rodent
- puppetControlled performing figure
minion · devotee · acolyte · disciple · loyalist · adherent · partisan · supporter
Following established rules
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
- disciplinedHaving strict self-control
- regimentedStrictly controlled and organized
- by-the-bookAdhering strictly to rules
dutiful · respectful · orderly · well-behaved · strait-laced · goody-goody · institutionalized · indoctrinated
Conformity-driven poor decisions
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- homogeneityState of sameness throughout
- uniformityState of being identical
mainstream · normative · collectivism · consensus · belonging · acceptance · popularity · clique
conventional
Following accepted practices
- orthodoxConforming to established belief
- conservativeCautious about altering customs
- establishmentFounded organization or venue
bourgeois · old-fashioned · strait-laced · buttoned-down · proper · respectable · square · staid · stuffy · uptight
yes-man
Uncritical agreeable subordinate
puppet · minion · devotee · acolyte · disciple · loyalist · adherent · partisan · supporter · henchman
law-abiding
Following established rules
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
- disciplinedHaving strict self-control
- regimentedStrictly controlled and organized
by-the-book · dutiful · respectful · orderly · well-behaved · strait-laced · goody-goody · institutionalized · indoctrinated · programmed
groupthink
Conformity-driven poor decisions
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- homogeneityState of sameness throughout
uniformity · mainstream · normative · collectivism · consensus · belonging · acceptance · popularity · clique · in-crowd
submissive
Readily yielding to control
- acquiescentAccepting without resistance
- docileEasily controlled or taught
- yieldingBending under pressure
amenable · pliable · deferential · meek · passive · obedient · tractable · biddable · malleable · unassertive
- conformitycomply, compliant, compliance, obey, obedient
- followersfollowers, disciples, devotees, adherents, sheep
- social conformitypeer pressure, herd mentality, groupthink, follow the crowd, fit in
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- cowardscoward, chicken, wimp, milquetoast, poltroon
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
conformistnonconformist
Rejects prevailing social standards
rebel · maverick · dissident · individualist · free spirit
conformistindependent
Free from external control
freethinker · individualist · nonconformist · original · autonomous
conformistindividualist
One who values autonomy
free thinker · original · one-of-a-kind · trailblazer · eccentric
- gender conformityMatching expected sex-based behaviors
- social conformityAdopting group norms
- gender non-conformingOutside typical masculine-feminine expression
- religious conformityAlignment with established doctrine
- cultural conformityMatching societal behavioral standards
- ideological conformityAdherence to approved beliefs
conformity, conforming, nonconformist, conformists, nonconformists, conformism