conflation

noun

con·​fla·​tion kən-ˈflā-shən How to pronounce conflation (audio)
plural conflations
: the action or result of conflating:
a(1)
: blend, fusion
What needs to be highlighted is the power that the state wields through conflations of people and place, and policies and programs.Thomas Klak
(2)
: confusion
The conflation of lie and lay is an old problem and, admittedly, an understandable one.Cullen Murphy
Clearly the dominant American culture confuses us Mennonites with the Amish, who in fact began as an insurgent faction rebelling from the Mennonites. America's conflation is reasonable, since the Mennonites and the Amish have historically overlapped in many lifestyle choices.Rhoda Janzen
b
: a composite reading or text
But this book is not simply a conflation of old dispatches from one of the world's forgotten trouble spots.William Boyd

Examples of conflation in a Sentence

the word “robustious” is probably a conflation of “robust” and “boisterous”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham is half-heartedly walking back her show’s conflation of two prominent Black women on-air Monday night: Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor in President-elect Trump’s election interference case and New York attorney general Letitia James. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024 In the right hands, this conflation of narrative and critique can have dazzling results. Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 The conflation of events influenced her and Fingscheidt’s decision to build a nonlinear screenplay and lean into its literary feel. Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024 One of the points of conflation that has emerged since the debate is between Biden’s running for president and his serving as president. Philip Bump, Washington Post, 8 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for conflation 

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conflation was in 1625

Dictionary Entries Near conflation

Cite this Entry

“Conflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflation. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

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