Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense conflicts, present participle conflicting, past tense, past participle conflictedpronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (kɒnflɪkt). The verb is pronounced (kənflɪkt).
1. uncountable noun [oft in/intoN]
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are inconflict, they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.
Try to keep any conflict between you and your ex-partner to a minimum.
Employees already are in conflict with management over job cuts.
The two companies came into conflict.
Synonyms: dispute, difference, opposition, hostility More Synonyms of conflict
2. uncountable noun
Conflict is a state of mind in which you find it impossible to make a decision.
...the anguish of his own inner conflict.
Synonyms: struggle, battle, clash, strife More Synonyms of conflict
3. variable noun
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
[journalism, written]
...talks aimed at ending four decades of conflict.
The National Security Council has met to discuss ways of preventing a military conflict.
Synonyms: battle, war, fight, clash More Synonyms of conflict
4. variable noun
A conflict is a serious difference between two or more beliefs, ideas, or interests. If two beliefs, ideas, or interests are inconflict, they are very different.
There is a conflict between what they are doing and what you want. [+ between]
Do you feel any conflict of loyalties? [+ of]
The two objectives are in conflict.
5. verb
If ideas, beliefs, or accounts conflict, they are very different from each other and it seems impossible for them to exist together or to each be true.
Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict. [VERB]
He held firm opinions which usually conflicted with my own. [VERB + with]
There are conflicting reports about the identity of the hostage. [VERB-ing]
...three powers with conflicting interests. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: be incompatible, clash, differ, disagree More Synonyms of conflict
conflict in British English
noun (ˈkɒnflɪkt)
1.
a struggle or clash between opposing forces; battle
2.
a state of opposition between ideas, interests, etc; disagreement or controversy
3.
a clash, as between two appointments made for the same time
4. psychology
opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible wishes or drives, sometimes leading to a state of emotional tension and thought to be responsible for neuroses
verb (kənˈflɪkt)(intransitive)
5.
to come into opposition; clash
6.
to fight
Derived forms
confliction (conˈfliction)
noun
conflictive (conˈflictive) or conflictory (conˈflictory)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from Latin conflictus, from conflīgere to combat, from flīgere to strike
conflict in American English
(kənˈflɪkt; for n. ˈkɑnˌflɪkt)
verb intransitive
1. Obsolete
to fight; battle; contend
2.
to be antagonistic, incompatible, or contradictory; be in opposition; clash
ideas that conflict
noun
3.
a fight or struggle, esp. a protracted one; war
4.
sharp disagreement or opposition, as of interests or ideas; clash
5.
emotional disturbance resulting from a clash of opposing impulses or from an inability to reconcile impulses with realistic or moral considerations
6. Rare
collision of moving bodies
SYNONYMY NOTE: conflict refers to a sharp disagreement or collision as in interests or ideas and emphasizesthe process rather than the end [the conflict over slavery]; fight, a rather general word for any contest, struggle, or quarrel, stresses physical orhand-to-hand combat; , struggle implies great effort or violent exertion, physical or otherwise [the struggle for existence]; contention most frequently applies to heated verbal strife, or dispute [religious contention broke out]; contest refers to a struggle, either friendly or hostile, for supremacy in some matter [athletic contests, a contest of wits]
OPPOSITES: accord, harmony
Derived forms
confliction (conˈfliction)
noun
conflictive (conˈflictive)
adjective
Word origin
ME conflicten < L conflictus, pp. of confligere, to strike together < com-, together + fligere, to strike: see inflict
COBUILD Collocations
conflict
armed conflict
avoid conflict
bitter conflict
bloody conflict
direct conflict
end the conflict
ethnic conflict
flee conflict
fuel conflict
future conflict
handle conflict
inner conflict
interpersonal conflict
personality conflict
regional conflict
unresolved conflict
Examples of 'conflict' in a sentence
conflict
It will also bring questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Was there conflict or fighting at home?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The potential for conflicts of interest is clear.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They say that the conflict of interest is responsible for the slow rollout of better technologies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Investors are worried about possible conflicts of interest.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Most of us would rather avoid conflict so no one says anything and they get away with it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
According to the deal, both sides should have withdrawn artillery from the conflict zone.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Since the conflict began 2.2m people across the country have fled their homes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Yet there were times of inner conflict, notably involving music.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Yet for such a terrifying conflict many people are unsure what it is really all about.
The Sun (2012)
This involvement helped me get my mind off the conflict.
Christianity Today (2000)
The hotel opened shortly before the conflict began three years ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So there exists that conflict of what the drivers want and what the team want.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This was not a killing in the heat and exercise of armed conflict.
The Sun (2013)
The terms of the conflict are quite different now.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Much of the region remains under curfew with the media banned from entering the conflict zones.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The key to avoiding conflict is to build trust.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The conflict of these two perspectives is subtly considered in a satisfying drama.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There is a clear potential conflict of interest in the two roles.
The Sun (2013)
Try not to buy into any inner conflict.
The Sun (2015)
The risk of a conflict of interest is clear.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The differences can cause conflict in relationships.
The Sun (2015)
Which is something men feel conflicted about.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Today it is far less likely that any conflict will be military.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The health arguments present similar conflicts.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The violence, the conflict, the clashes have become worse and worse.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
conflict
British English: conflict /ˈkɒnflɪkt/ NOUN
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument. If two people or groups are in conflict, they have had a serious disagreement and have not yet reached agreement.
Try to avoid conflict and establish a good working relationship.
American English: conflict
Arabic: صِراع
Brazilian Portuguese: conflito
Chinese: 冲突
Croatian: sukob
Czech: konflikt
Danish: konflikt
Dutch: conflict
European Spanish: conflicto
Finnish: ristiriita konflikti
French: conflit
German: Konflikt
Greek: σύγκρουση
Italian: conflitto
Japanese: 衝突
Korean: 충돌
Norwegian: konflikt
Polish: konflikt
European Portuguese: conflito
Romanian: conflict
Russian: конфликт
Latin American Spanish: conflicto
Swedish: konflikt
Thai: ความขัดแย้ง
Turkish: çatışma
Ukrainian: конфлікт
Vietnamese: sự xung đột
All related terms of 'conflict'
conflict zone
A zone is an area that has particular features or characteristics.
flee conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
fuel conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
armed conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
avoid conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.
bitter conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
bloody conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
class conflict
conflict between different social or economic classes
direct conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement .
ethnic conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
future conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
handle conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement .
inner conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.
proxy conflict
a conflict between third parties, through whom enemies attack each other
conflict diamond
a diamond sold to help finance a military campaign
regional conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
conflict of laws
dissimilarity or discrepancy between the laws of different legal orders, such as states or nations , with regard to the applicable legal rules and principles in a matter that each legal order wishes to regulate
end the conflict
Conflict is fighting between countries or groups of people.
interpersonal conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.
personality conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement .
unresolved conflict
Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict , they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.
conflict of interest
a conflict between one's obligation to the public good and one's self-interest , as in the case of a public officeholder who owns stock in a company seeking government contracts
copyright social conflict
the conflict between copyright holders and other individuals over the use, distribution , and replication of copyright materials
blood diamond
a diamond sold to help finance a military campaign