CONFLICTS Synonyms: 166 Similar and Opposite Words

conflicts 1 of 2

noun

Definition of conflicts next

plural of conflict

as in frictions

a lack of agreement or harmony the conflict between absolute freedom and personal responsibility

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as in clashes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups an armed conflict between strikers and strikebreakers

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truces

as in hostilities

a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups the United Nations strives to prevent international conflicts

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as in rivalries

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the eternal conflict between the forces of good and evil

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conflicts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of conflict

as in collides

to be out of harmony or agreement usually noticeably his statement conflicts with the facts, as given in the police report

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of conflicts

Noun

From Xi Jinping’s quest to regain China’s glory, to Vladimir Putin’s attempts at a new Russian empire, to the rise of populist anti-foreign attitudes in the United States, Britain, Germany, and France, negative views of others underpin many of the conflicts in today’s world. —

Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 Aside from being combat-proven in multiple modern conflicts, Turkish homegrown drones are also a leading competitor of Israel’s on the international arms market. —

Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Bets tied to global conflicts have been the source of many recent disputes as traders try to see through the fog of war to figure out the specifics of what happened on the ground. —

Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 May 2026 The market lineup also includes several films set outside the region and its political conflicts. —

Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026 Agree upfront how conflicts get resolved. —

Chris Cardillo, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2026 In 1469, the estate became the site of the Battle of Edgcote, one of the key conflicts during the Wars of the Roses. —

Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 May 2026 While the Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark interest rate on hold so far in 2026, inflation surged in March and April on the back of a rising oil price, overseas conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty. —

Matt Richardson, CBS News, 19 May 2026 Recent conflicts have accelerated interest in unmanned maritime warfare. —

Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026

Verb

In an oppositional reading of a media text, the audience comprehends that the message conflicts with or contradicts their personal experiences of society. —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026 Intuitive Surgical also conflicts with our recent initiation of Johnson & Johnson, which is seeking to enter the robotic surgery market. —

Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026 The immediate gratification demanded by right-wing influencers inevitably conflicts with the level of behind-the-scenes preparation required to bring even the most slapdash case in court. —

Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026 Dartmouth professor Jeff Friedman noted that younger voters grew up with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, conflicts that the public became disenchanted with. —

Zac Anderson, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026 The design is a puddle of oil seeping high above and across the boulevard that conflicts with its surroundings. —

Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 That approach also conflicts with the national framework governing commercial driver licensing. —

Bhupinder Kaur, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026 And that sometimes conflicts with folks who jump in on discussions right as things are happening. —

Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026 The description conflicts with the White House’s portrayal of the two women as long estranged. —

Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflicts

Noun

Tensions between Rian and Patrick flare when Rian drunkenly mentions a brief fling with Shiv, though the film’s clunky edit, which gives little room for the performances to breathe and play out organically within their contexts, makes these frictions feel stilted and juvenile.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 May 2026
Outcomes announced so far also spotlight where daylight and frictions continue to exist.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 18 May 2026