conflate

verb

con·flate | \ kən-ˈflāt

conflated; conflating

Definition of conflate

1a : to bring together : fuse

b : confuse

2 : to combine (things, such as two readings of a text) into a composite whole The editor conflated the two texts. … a city of conflated races and cultures …— Earl Shorris

Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about conflate

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Did You Know?

We're not just blowing hot air when we tell you that conflate can actually be traced back to the same roots as the English verb blow. Conflate derives from conflatus, the past participle of the Latin verb conflare ("to blow together, to fuse"), which was formed by combining the prefix com- with the verb flare, meaning "to blow." The source of Latin flare is the same ancient root word that gave us blow. Other descendants of flare in English include afflatus ("a divine imparting of knowledge or power"), inflate, insufflation ("an act of blowing"), and flageolet (a kind of small flute-the flageolet referring to a green kidney bean is unrelated).

Examples of conflate in a Sentence

be careful not to conflate gossip with real news the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not

Recent Examples on the Web

Another algae problem plagues Florida’s waterways, Murawski said, and confused and frustrated people are conflating the two. — Tamara Lush, The Seattle Times, "Devastating toxic algae bloom plagues Florida’s Gulf Coast," 14 Aug. 2018 There’s a longstanding tradition in America of conflating sporting prowess and religious identity. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "What one pastor’s anti-Nike protest says about religion and nationalism in America," 14 Sep. 2018 In recent years, the debate has been especially heated, with Christians disagreeing strongly on whether conflating God and country is a right or a heresy. — Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post, "The “Star-Spangled Banner” in church? Some Christians are questioning the mix of patriotism and God," 1 July 2018 This anger is conflating with Trump’s decision to abrogate the Iran nuclear deal, which the Europeans continue to recognize. — Mark Zandi, Philly.com, "Corporate America loved Trump tax cuts, but the love affair may end," 25 May 2018 But this literal meaning can cause confusion, so people may conflate schizophrenia with bipolar disorder or dissociative identity disorder. — Nina Bahadur, SELF, "9 Facts to Know About Schizophrenia, Which Is Way Too Misunderstood," 15 Sep. 2018 Following the report, many Twitter users starting criticizing #MeToo, seemingly conflating the allegations against Argento with the movement at large. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "New Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Asia Argento Shouldn't Negate the #MeToo Movement," 20 Aug. 2018 Fox displayed a picture of Eagles kneeling in prayer during a segment, conflating that action with the protests during the national anthem. — Eugene Scott, Washington Post, "Fox News’s kneeling error and the role of prayer and faith in NFL protests," 5 June 2018 But there’s also a lot about the movie that stands out very poorly five decades later: namely, the film’s villains are an odd, offensive mashup of cultures, that seems to conflate Hinduism with Aztec sacrifices. — Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge, "New trailers: The Predator, True Detective, and more," 1 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conflate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.