conflict of interest

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of conflict of interest¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

This conflict of interest is not the only contradiction at play.

From Salon

His remit was to “clean up the corruption,” “end the conflicts of interest,” and “return those agencies to their rich tradition of gold standard, empirically based, evidence-based science, evidence-based medicine,” Kennedy said.

From Science Magazine

Elon Musk’s ties to the Trump administration pose potential conflicts of interest for his various businesses that have extensive contracts with the federal government.

From Los Angeles Times

By 2026, the county will for the first time have an ethics commission to regulate conflicts of interest and lobbying and investigate misconduct by elected officials and county employees.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump’s transition process has been hampered in part because he has missed deadlines to sign papers that promise to avoid conflicts of interest while in office.

From Los Angeles Times