conflict

1 of 2

noun

con·​flict ˈkän-ˌflikt 

1

: fight, battle, war

class conflict

an armed conflict

… Defense Department officials have been worried that the situation could escalate beyond the kind of shadow conflict that the United States and Iran have been engaged in.

—Julian E. Barnes

2

a

: a difference that prevents agreement : antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons)

a conflict of principles

a scheduling conflict

These can contribute to interpersonal conflict and burnout …

—Andrew Pulrang

b

: mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands

Lots of actors can weep or laugh or become enraged on cue, but only the most gifted are able to express inner conflict.

—Mark Olsen

3

: the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction

The conflict in the play is between the king and the archbishop.

You're simply conveying the core idea—the initial seed from that which the plot, characters, twists, turns, and ensuing conflict grows.

—Ken Miyamoto

conflictful

ˈkän-ˌflikt-fəl 

adjective

conflictual

kän-ˈflik-chə-wəl 

kən-

-chəl

-shwəl

-chü-əl

adjective

conflict

2 of 2

verb

con·​flict kən-ˈflikt  ˈkän-ˌflikt 

conflicted; conflicting; conflicts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to be different, opposed, or contradictory : to fail to be in agreement or accord

His statement conflicts with the facts.

b

: to create a conflict of interest

They are … barred from engaging in outside employment that could conflict with their official duties.

—Brian Maffly

2

: to happen at the same time

The appointment conflicts with an important meeting.

3

archaic : to contend in warfare

confliction

kən-ˈflik-shən 

kän-

noun

conflictive

kən-ˈflik-tiv 

ˈkän-ˌflik-

adjective

Synonyms of conflict

Noun

• strife
• discord
• war
• friction
• discordance
• warfare
• schism
• discordancy
• dissent
• dispute

Verb

• clash
• collide

Choose the Right Synonym for conflict

discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Examples of conflict in a Sentence

Noun

In great wars—the American Civil War, the First and Second World Wars—the largest casualties are suffered just before the conflicts end. —Steve Forbes, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2009

At a moment when the country was still in the throes of the conflict over Vietnam, it was refreshing to see the best of America. —Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006

… for work-family conflicts to disappear, two rock-ribbed institutions must change: the whole concept of children's care, and the way the workplace works. —Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Family Politics, 1983

The basic conflict in the novel is, of course, between the life on the river, where Huck finds innocence, brotherhood with man, and communion with nature, and life ashore, where, stage by stage, he discovers the corruption of society … —Robert Penn Warren, Democracy and Poetry, (1975) 1976

a conflict between two gangs

recent violent conflict in the region

Everyone in my family always tries to avoid conflict.

There was inevitable conflict over what to name the group.

They're having serious conflicts over the budget.

I don't see any conflicts between the theories.

You'll need to resolve the conflict between your parents' plans for you and your own ambitions.

Verb

Mr. van Wolferen says the U.S. must do more: It has to openly explain to Japan that it wants a managed-trade deal in order to end the bickering between the two nations, a move that would conflict with America's free-trade rhetoric. —David P. Hamilton, Wall Street Journal, 8 June 1995

The expectations about motherhood as full-time job that this situation created conflicted with the philosophy of the women's movement of the l960's. —Anita Shreve, New York Times Magazine, 2l Nov. 1982

Lily smiled faintly at the injunction to take her tea strong. It was the temptation she was always struggling to resist. Her craving for the keen stimulant was forever conflicting with that other craving for sleep … —Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, 1905

Reports conflicted on how many people were involved.

his statement conflicts with the facts, as given in the police report

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

DiCaprio wanted Rick to have some conflict — serious conflict. —Jay Glennie, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

In my view, the department was unprepared for the type of nuclear conflict Trump might foment. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

Verb

Across the city, residents were conflicted about the federal operation. —Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

All these conflicting emotions — grief and joy, birth and death — just collided. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English conflicte, conflyte "battle, struggle, assault," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French conflykte, conflict, borrowed from Latin conflīctus "striking together, clash," from conflīgere "to strike together, bring into collision, do battle, contend" (from con- con- + flīgere "to strike, dash down") + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at profligate entry 1

Verb

Middle English conflicten "to engage in battle, fight," borrowed from Latin conflīctus, past participle of conflīgere "to strike together, bring into collision, do battle, contend" — more at conflict entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing conflict

• come into conflict
• conflict of interest
• de-conflict
• in conflict

Kids Definition

conflict

1 of 2 noun

con·​flict ˈkän-ˌflikt 

1

: an extended struggle : fight, battle

2

a

: a clashing or sharp disagreement (as between ideas, interests, or purposes)

b

: mental struggle resulting from needs, drives, wishes, or demands that are in opposition or are not compatible

conflict

2 of 2 verb

con·​flict kən-ˈflikt 

ˈkän-ˌflikt

: to be in opposition : clash

duty and desire often conflict

Medical Definition

conflict

noun

con·​flict ˈkän-ˌflikt 

: mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands

conflictful

ˈkän-ˌflikt-fəl 

adjective

conflictless

ˈkän-ˌflik-tləs 

adjective

conflictual

kän-ˈflik-ch(ə-w)əl, kən- 

adjective