conflict

[kuhn-flikt, kon-flikt]

verb (used without object)

1. to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash.

   The account of one eyewitness conflicted with that of the other. My class conflicts with my going to the concert.

   Synonyms: oppose, collide

2. to fight or contend; do battle.

noun

1. a fight, battle, or struggle, especially a prolonged struggle; strife.

   Synonyms: siege, encounter

2. controversy; quarrel.

   conflicts between parties.

   Antonyms: accord

3. discord of action, feeling, or effect; antagonism or opposition, as of interests or principles.

   a conflict of ideas.

   Synonyms: opposition, contention

4. a striking together; collision.

5. incompatibility or interference, as of one idea, desire, event, or activity with another.

   a conflict in the schedule.

6. Psychiatry.,  a mental struggle arising from opposing demands or impulses.

conflict

noun

1. a struggle or clash between opposing forces; battle

2. a state of opposition between ideas, interests, etc; disagreement or controversy

3. a clash, as between two appointments made for the same time

4. psychol opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible wishes or drives, sometimes leading to a state of emotional tension and thought to be responsible for neuroses

verb

1. to come into opposition; clash

2. to fight

Other Word Forms

• confliction noun
• conflictive adjective
• conflictory adjective
• nonconflictive adjective
• preconflict noun
• self-conflict noun
• unconflictive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conflict¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (noun), from Latin conflīctus “a striking together,” equivalent to conflīg(ere) “to strike together, contend” ( con- con- + flīgere “to strike”) + -tus suffix of verb action; (verb) from Latin conflīctus, past participle of conflīgere, or by verb use of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conflict¹

C15: from Latin conflictus, from conflīgere to combat, from flīgere to strike

Synonym Study

See fight.

Example Sentences

"But at the same time, private or closely held companies are indeed subject to less outside scrutiny, which can fuel conflict and harm reputation," Prof Raianu adds.

Read more on BBC

I think about Beallsville every time the world grows especially bellicose, and talk of preparation for armed conflict becomes animated.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This is precisely the kind of interstate conflict the Constitution’s framers sought to prevent.

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Though she was happy with her sitter, she felt conflicted about using the service to shop for luxury clothes at all.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Aiken said they had been briefed by the Israel Foreign Ministry and said it was "good to get as wide a set of understanding of the complexities of the conflict as possible".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• battle 
• clash 
• combat 
• competition 
• rivalry 
• strife 
• struggle 
• war