conflict

[ verb kuhn-flikt; noun 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

Derived Forms

• conˈfliction, noun
• conˈflictive, adjective

Other Words From

• con·flic·tion noun
• con·flic·tive con·flic·to·ry [k, uh, n-, flik, -t, uh, -ree], adjective
• non·con·flic·tive adjective
• pre·con·flict verb (used without object)
• pre·con·flict noun
• self-con·flict noun
• un·con·flic·tive 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

He was convicted of war crimes relating to the use of children in that country's conflict and sentenced in July to 14 years.

From BBC

So far, the US president-elect has given very few clues as to how he intends to end the conflict, beyond a typically vainglorious promise to end the war in 24 hours.

From BBC

Crucial perspectives were also missing in most of the reviewed studies on climate change and conflict.

From Science Daily

The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

From Science Daily

Those conflicts are threatening to trigger a wider war that would pit the United States and Israel against Iran and its proxies.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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