The core conflict meaning is a clash: two or more people, groups, ideas or demands that pull in opposite directions and cannot all win at once. It can be as small as two meetings booked for the same hour or as large as a war between nations.
English uses the word as a noun and a verb, and the stress moves between them, which trips up many learners. To define conflict properly, this guide sets out a numbered definition for each sense, then covers stress, common pairings, the legal phrase conflict of interest, conflict in stories, and the Latin picture of things striking together.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
A struggle, disagreement or clash; as a verb, to be incompatiblePart of speech
Noun and verbPronunciation
Noun: KON-flikt. Verb: kuhn-FLIKT.Word forms
conflicts, conflicted, conflicting, conflictual (formal)Origin
Latin conflictus, from confligere, to strike together; English since the early 1400sOpposite
agreement, harmony, peace, consensusRegister
Neutral; used everywhere from casual talk to law
Conflict definition, sense by sense
- A disagreement or quarrel. There was conflict between the two neighbors over the fence.
- Fighting or war. Armed conflict, a border conflict, years of conflict. News reports often prefer this word to war when no formal war has been declared.
- A clash of ideas, interests or duties. A conflict between work and family, a conflict of values.
- An inner struggle. Opposing wishes or feelings inside one person: inner conflict. This psychological use dates from the 1800s.
- A scheduling clash. I have a conflict on Tuesday means another commitment is already booked.
As a verb, conflict means to be incompatible: The two reports conflict, His story conflicts with the camera footage.
Hearing the stress shift
Like record, object and present, conflict changes stress with its job. The noun puts weight on the first part: KON-flikt. The verb puts it on the second: kuhn-FLIKT. So you would say a KON-flikt at work, but the dates kuhn-FLIKT. The adjective conflicting follows the verb: kuhn-FLIK-ting.
Conflict meaning in example sentences
- The roommates' conflict over dishes finally ended with a chore chart.
- Sorry, I can't join the call; I have a conflict at three.
- Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of who ran the red light.
- She felt conflicted about leaving her hometown for the new job.
- The new rule conflicts with the safety manual, so one of them must change.
- Decades of conflict had left the region short of schools and roads.
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest happens when a person's private interest could influence, or seem to influence, a decision they are supposed to make fairly for someone else. A judge ruling on a case involving a relative, a buyer picking a supplier owned by a friend, or a board member voting on a deal that helps their own company are all classic examples. The phrase has been used since at least the 1740s.
Many workplaces and public bodies require people to declare or disclose such conflicts and to step back from the decision. A real conflict of interest does not prove wrongdoing; it is a risk that rules try to manage.
Conflict in stories
In literature and film writing, conflict is the problem that drives the plot: what the protagonist wants and what stands in the way. When classes discuss the meaning of conflict in fiction, they commonly list types such as person against person (often an antagonist), person against nature, person against society and person against self. Without some conflict a story has no tension, which is why writing classes spend so much time on it.
Pairings and close words
Common verbs with the noun: avoid, resolve, settle, manage, escalate, come into conflict with. Useful adjectives: bitter, open, armed, internal, ongoing.
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| conflict | Broad: any clash, from tiny to violent |
| discord | Lack of harmony, often lasting tension in a group |
| dispute | A specific argument, often over a claim or a contract |
| animosity | The hostile feeling itself, not the clash |
The happy ending is resolution, or in personal relationships, reconciliation. More general vocabulary is listed on the everyday words hub.
Two things striking together
English borrowed conflict in the early 1400s, when it named a battle or armed encounter. It comes from Latin conflictus, the past participle of confligere, from com- (together) and fligere (to strike). The literal picture, two things striking together, is still easy to see in every modern sense, from arguments to clashing calendars.
Frequently asked questions
What does conflict mean, in everyday words?
Think of a clash or struggle. People in conflict disagree strongly, or their wants cannot all be met. The word also covers wars, scheduling clashes and battles inside your own mind.
Is conflict always bad?
No. Conflict can be painful, but handled calmly it can bring problems into the open and lead to better decisions. Many teams treat healthy disagreement as useful, as long as it does not become personal.
What does it mean to feel conflicted?
It means you have mixed feelings and are pulled two ways. You might feel conflicted about a job offer that pays more but moves you far from family.
Is conflict said differently as a verb?
The noun is KON-flikt, stressed at the start. The verb is kuhn-FLIKT, stressed at the end. The same pattern applies to words like record and object.
What is the difference between conflict and argument?
An argument is one spoken exchange of disagreement. Conflict is wider and can last longer; it includes arguments but also silent tension, competing interests and even armed fighting.
What is a conflict in a schedule?
It means two commitments fall at the same time. Saying you have a conflict is a polite way to explain you cannot attend because something else is already booked.