conflict of interest

American  

noun

1. the circumstance of a public officeholder, business executive, or the like, whose personal interests might benefit from their official actions or influence.

   The senator placed his stocks in trust to avoid possible conflict of interest.

2. the circumstance of a person who finds that one of their own activities, interests, etc., can be advanced only at the expense of another of them.

---

Etymology

Origin of conflict of interest

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Thurber noted that Obama and Biden required their appointees to comply with an ethics pledge to avoid conflicts of interest.

From Salon

The watchdog's chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said there was "a clear conflict of interest in asking existing councils to decide how long it will be before they are answerable to voters".

From BBC

But two decades ago, investigators revealed that some analysts had deep conflicts of interest and were misleading investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

He says he left the business to avoid any conflicts of interest when he became Datasection’s CEO.

From Barron's

Nonbanks, including technology firms, have been allowed to do business that closely resembles banking, with no constraints on manifold conflicts of interest.

From Barron's