internal conflict
Americannoun
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internal conflicts
plural
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psychological struggle within the mind of a literary or dramatic character, the resolution of which creates the plot's suspense.
Hamlet's inaction is caused by internal conflict.
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mental struggle arising from opposing demands or impulses.
Usage
What is an internal conflict? Internal conflict is a struggle within a person’s mind over a problem or question. That’s why it’s called internal.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of internal conflict
First recorded in 1580–90
Compare meaning
How does internal-conflict compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Decades on from the end of a civil war that killed 150,000 people, Lebanon remains deeply divided and still lives under the spectre of internal conflict.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
Cepeda has pledged economic reforms if elected, including expanding welfare benefits and handing land to victims of internal conflict.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
This constant internal conflict raises a long-standing mystery.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 26, 2026
The nature of the work does produce some internal conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026
In the common struggle for the preservation of the city the prejudices of the patricians weakened, and after a long internal conflict, the plebeians were admitted to full rights of citizenship.
From The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume I (of IV) by R. V. (Robert Vane) Russell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
