conflict of interest

noun phrase

: a conflict between the private interests and the official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

Examples of conflict of interest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of these regulations were put in place long before modern inverters (which allow solar electricity to safely feed back to the grid) existed, and so local utilities are largely responsible for interpreting them, despite the inherent conflict of interest to maintain their monopolies. —Joshua Pearce, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Might be a little bit of a conflict of interest. —Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026

The Ninth District representative is charged with five counts of grand theft by embezzlement of public funds, four counts of conflict of interest and three counts of perjury by declaration. —City News Service, Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026

The Ethics Commission found Hayes had not violated Oklahoma conflict of interest rules, but had violated the lobbyist registration rules, according to the settlement. —Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conflict of interest

• noninterest

Legal Definition

conflict of interest

con·​flict of interest

ˈkän-ˌflikt-

1

: a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

2

: a conflict between competing duties (as in an attorney's representation of clients with adverse interests) see also ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct