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conflict

/ˈkɑn.flɪkt/noun, verb2 syllables

Conflict means: a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war.

Synonyms for conflict10

noun, as in a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

battle, fight, engagement

noun, as in a disagreement or argument about something important

dispute, difference, difference of opinion

noun, as in an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)

struggle, battle

verb, as in go against, as of rules and laws

run afoul, infringe, contravene

What does conflict mean?9

noun

1

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war“Grant won a decisive victory in the battle of Chattanooga”

2

a disagreement or argument about something important“he had a dispute with his wife”

3

an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)“the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph”

4

opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings“he was immobilized by conflict and indecision”

5

a state of opposition between persons or ideas or interests“his conflict of interest made him ineligible for the post”

6

an incompatibility of dates or events“he noticed a conflict in the dates of the two meetings”

7

opposition in a work of drama or fiction between characters or forces (especially an opposition that motivates the development of the plot)“this form of conflict is essential to Mann's writing”

verb

1

go against, as of rules and laws“He ran afoul of the law”

2

be in conflict“The two proposals conflict!”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Conflict in a sentence

  • Around the world, refugees flow across borders in flight from brutal conflict.Hybrid
  • At the moment, it doesn't look like the conflict will end any time soon.CK
  • Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.soliloquist
  • If one side of a conflict is terrorizing children's hospitals, that's the bad side.shekitten
  • To find peace, one must first face conflict.Igider
  • If you don't start a conflict, there won't be a conflict.rul
  • I discovered a documentary on journalism in conflict zones, it was poignant.tieguy
  • The heart of the tragedy, as of a short story, is a conflict.unknown

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of conflict

as a noun

plural
conflicts

as a verb

past tense
conflicted
present participle
conflicting
third-person singular
conflicts
past participle
conflicted