1
as in confusing
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
be careful not to conflate gossip with real news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in combining
to turn into a single mass or entity that is more or less the same throughout
the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conflating
The Beauty is about wanting to nip and tuck ourselves into better versions, but conflating that desire with actual scientific research is odd.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
The report states that a series of conflating issues, such as widespread budget cuts, technological disruption, the dominance of streamers, and economic instability, have caused the feeling of fear and crisis across the industry.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
Stacy Hawthorne, board chair of the Consortium for School Networking, an association for school technology officials that signed the letter, is concerned that some are conflating social media, which can cause problems for children, with technology more broadly, which can help students learn.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026
With modern terminology, the anti-liberal playbook of the 1950s has returned, once more, by conflating progressive politics with communism.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Detection is not the same as impairment, and conflating the two misleads the public.
—Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
As luxury and expedition lines launch new cruise itineraries in Arctic Greenland, travelers should be wary of conflating the two polar destinations.
—Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
The real danger is not cultural fragmentation but conflating the costs of success with failure.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Local community leaders have urged officials and the public not to stigmatize Somali Americans in the state, warning against conflating alleged crimes by a handful of defendants with more than 80,000 people of Somali descent in the Twin Cities.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Twin Cities, 19 Dec. 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
The report states that a series of conflating issues, such as widespread budget cuts, technological disruption, the dominance of streamers, and economic instability, have caused the feeling of fear and crisis across the industry.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
Stacy Hawthorne, board chair of the Consortium for School Networking, an association for school technology officials that signed the letter, is concerned that some are conflating social media, which can cause problems for children, with technology more broadly, which can help students learn.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026
With modern terminology, the anti-liberal playbook of the 1950s has returned, once more, by conflating progressive politics with communism.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Detection is not the same as impairment, and conflating the two misleads the public.
—Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
As luxury and expedition lines launch new cruise itineraries in Arctic Greenland, travelers should be wary of conflating the two polar destinations.
—Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
The real danger is not cultural fragmentation but conflating the costs of success with failure.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Local community leaders have urged officials and the public not to stigmatize Somali Americans in the state, warning against conflating alleged crimes by a handful of defendants with more than 80,000 people of Somali descent in the Twin Cities.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Twin Cities, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflating
Verb
-
This device is a high-tech centrifuge that simulates microgravity by spinning vials with samples around two axes, effectively confusing the cells inside as to their position in space.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
During the Second World War, the Allies put a special effort into confusing the Axis powers.—
David Szondy
March 25,
New Atlas,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By combining durability, efficiency, and low cost, the new approach brings fuel cells closer to everyday use.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
-
By combining these two techniques, the team collected a series of still frames for a molecular movie and learned what exactly was in motion in between those frames.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The result is, at best, a category error; at worst, a moral panic—mistaking architecture for art, and art for authority.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
-
There’s no mistaking Greece for anywhere else.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Insider experiences include a tour of a private palazzo by a prince no less, a painting class inspired by Caravaggio, and a master class in mixing the perfect aperitivo by resident masters.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Available only at the Milan campus for the moment, the core offering of the new educational project will be a three-year undergraduate program starting in October and mixing creative, technical and managerial skills.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By integrating Webb's infrared sensitivity with Hubble's long-standing visible-light record, scientists can construct a far more complete picture of planetary behavior than either telescope could achieve alone.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Colleges that help students master those capabilities — including by integrating AI education across all degrees and majors, not just STEM — are still exceptional investments that will pay dividends for decades.—
Jerry Balentine,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Independent testing shows the Trax reaching 0–60 mph in about nine seconds, which feels perfectly adequate for merging onto Denver freeways or climbing the foothill highways west of town.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The software covers standard PDF tasks like editing text, inserting images, annotating documents, and merging or splitting files.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Maurer imagines blending the fungi with Martian or lunar dirt; their sticky mycelia would cement it into an extraterrestrial equivalent of particle board.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
This vibrant pickle-centric culture, blending health, fun, and innovation, underscores how pickles have become a dynamic and enduring symbol of American creativity, taste, and innovation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By amalgamating these museological devices into the artwork, Aram directly upsets the threefold impulse to pierce form with meaning, to arrest color with identity, and to neutralize bodies with limits.—
Julian Stern,
Artforum,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conflating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflating. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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