conflicted

1 of 2

adjective

con·​flict·​ed kən-ˈflik-təd 

: experiencing or marked by ambivalence or a conflict especially of emotions

conflicted feelings

… these people are … conflicted in their values and beliefs.

—Norman Ornstein

conflicted

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of conflict entry 2

Synonyms of conflicted

Adjective

• unsure
• ambivalent
• afraid
• hesitant
• uncertain

Examples of conflicted in a Sentence

Adjective

She was still conflicted about her ex-husband's remarriage.

I'm conflicted about the prospect of our only child going away to college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Employees have become burned out and morally conflicted as their focus has shifted from pursuing drug smugglers and human traffickers to apprehending asylum seekers in courthouses and arresting day laborers at their worksites. — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

And as formidable as Seydoux can be, the character isn’t so much heartbreakingly conflicted as she is oddly muddled and underdeveloped. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Sophie confessed to being a bit conflicted about tobacco, a plant that has killed untold humans, but is also showing promise in vaccine production and other pharmaceutical research. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

The 2026 Canadian Travel and Tourism Outlook study from Environics Research shows that six in 10 Canadians are either actively avoiding travel to the US (46%) or would travel to the US, but feel conflicted (15%). — CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of conflict entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1789, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conflicted

• addicted
• afflicted
• constricted
• convicted
• depicted
• evicted
• inflicted
• predicted
• restricted
• contradicted
• interdicted
• unrestricted

Medical Definition

conflicted

adjective

con·​flict·​ed kən-ˈflik-təd 

: having or experiencing emotional conflict

working women were much more conflicted about working than full-time mothers were about staying home

—People