CONFLICTS Synonyms: 166 Similar and Opposite Words

conflicts 1 of 2

noun

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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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

Archer says the system can help controllers and flight crews detect emerging conflicts earlier, giving them more time to make informed decisions before safety risks develop. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026 Ted was genuinely out of his depth, the conflicts felt earned, and the show still had to persuade audiences that its relentless optimism wasn’t naïve. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026 Additionally, the new connectivity would offer opportunities to avoid future conflicts between GCC states, such as the Qatar blockade. — Firmesk Rahim, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026 For the foreseeable future, the United States is likely to remain heavily involved in its allies’ conflicts. — Dafna H. Rand, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026 Current market anxieties stem from rising oil prices due to Middle East conflicts and the emergence of powerful Chinese AI models like Moonshot AI's Kimi K3. — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 His tenure on the show was similarly contentious, marked by conflicts with creator Dan Harmon and several of his costars. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026 In the northwest, the practice spread through less ideological conflicts. — Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Talking through everyday responsibilities and standards for shared spaces helps prevent many of the conflicts couples report in their first year of cohabiting. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026

Verb

This directly conflicts with at least one existing state law, California's SB53, raising complex questions about which specific state provisions, like whistleblower protections, would survive. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Mowing at both cemeteries allots $30,550 for 13 cuts over a 26-week period, which conflicts with weekly and bi-weekly contracts for downtown areas, and six-week maintenance periods at ponds and other sites. — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026 Olathe Schools also agreed to revise or remove any policies, guidance or website content that conflicts with the department’s interpretations of Title IX and Kansas law. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflicts

Noun

Moreover Jewish and Eastern Christian frictions go back deep into the Ottoman era, jockeying for the Sultan’s favor in the millet system.

— Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
When algorithms see these frictions falling away, the need for a driver premium plummets, deflating the surge price.

— Christopher S. Tang, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

Definition of frictions

Noun

Sudden closures and delays in wages and severance pay have also prompted street protests and clashes with authorities, with the minimum wage still a persistent flashpoint.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
On that note, when Venus in Virgo clashes with Mars in Gemini, desire and judgment can start working against each other.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

Definition of clashes

Noun

Given the extent of the disruption to oil exports from the Middle East since the start of hostilities between Washington and Tehran, most of the hikes announced by OPEC+ since March have had a negligible impact on the physical crude market.

— Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Multiple countries are entangled in Sudan’s conflict, and other foreigners, including Russians and Ukrainians, have taken part in hostilities.

— Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of hostilities

Noun

Because the Zoroastrian group in India has stood outside the principal religious rivalries between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, Lenny’s household initially offers an unaligned vantage on the city’s disintegration.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
The 'Stans want to maximize trade and stay out of geopolitical rivalries.

— Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of rivalries

Noun

Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.

— April Uchitel, Flow Space, 6 Aug. 2025
In every case, physical science, which is based on the evidence reported by these limited and limiting senses, eventually leaves us stranded with the conviction that sickness, accidents, and disasters – discords of every description, regardless of the apparent cause – are real and inevitable.

— Lisa Rennie Sytsma, Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2025

Definition of discords

Noun

Emboldened by multiple skirmishes, TCU’s offense had its best day of camp, offering a glimpse of what the new-look scheme could be during the season.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
In the following days there were sporadic reports of minor skirmishes between protesters and police forces, which were reinforced with more troops.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Definition of skirmishes

Noun

History shows that presidents who intensify wars in pursuit of a way out, or to protect their own prestige or America’s reputation, descend a slippery slope.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Lawrence, whose campaign is centered on the economy, opposing AI data centers and keeping money at home instead of funding foreign wars, argues that the conventional wisdom about moderation being the key to electability is all wrong.

— Tamara Keith, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of wars

Noun

The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026
Boxing enthusiasts eagerly await an explosive showdown as Lamont Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) battles William Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) for the vacant WBC lightweight championship.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of battles

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conflictive

conflicts

confluence

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“Conflicts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflicts. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of conflicts

noun

verb

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