1
as in strife
a lack of agreement or harmony
the conflict between absolute freedom and personal responsibility
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
an armed conflict between strikers and strikebreakers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups
the United Nations strives to prevent international conflicts
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4
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the eternal conflict between the forces of good and evil
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to clash
to be out of harmony or agreement usually noticeably
his statement conflicts with the facts, as given in the police report
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conflict
Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Zelensky pointed out then that many of those in service have been wounded multiple times during the conflict, as returning to the battlefield has often meant vulnerability to further injury.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
The story follows five unqualified astronauts chasing wealth on a planet made of diamonds and gold, with greed and conflicting testimonies driving the tension.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conflict
Noun
But Hernandez-Thorpe didn’t want to talk about shame and conflict, not directly.
—Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Zelensky pointed out then that many of those in service have been wounded multiple times during the conflict, as returning to the battlefield has often meant vulnerability to further injury.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
Those who do want to get the shot and thereby reduce risk of severe illness face conflicting recommendations from federal, state and other health officials, plus uncertainty over access and whether insurance will cover the cost.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
The story follows five unqualified astronauts chasing wealth on a planet made of diamonds and gold, with greed and conflicting testimonies driving the tension.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflict
Noun
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That moment of silence itself soon erupted into House strife, with shouting on the floor.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Against the backdrop of the golden sand dunes in Ninh Thuan province, family strife boils over when a son’s dream to dance to the beat of his own heart pits him against his father’s wishes.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those clashes became viral videos that cemented his reputation as a culture warrior.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
On November 25, the La Liga holders travel to Stamford Bridge for a mouthwatering clash with the reigning Club World Cup kings.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The message refers to the conflict in Gaza and calls for an end to hostilities.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
15 Sep. 2025
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Children bear the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks, and are affected by the disregard for ceasefires and peace agreements.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those games include matchups versus the NFC North, AFC North divisional rivalry games versus the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers as well as a late season road showdown against the Buffalo Bills.—
Kambui Bomani,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Studio beat The Bear for the most wins for a comedy series in a single year, while The Pitt reigned supreme in its rivalry with Severance and Britt Lower pulled an upset in Lead Actress in a Drama over Kathy Bates.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The stubborn myth that Jews are too safe to be targets is colliding with a painful new reality.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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Yet the morning's hopeful energy quickly collided with harsh reality.—
Sonal Nain,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kirk was one of the slate of Republicans who called for more transparency around the Jeffrey Epstein files in a rare moment of discord within the party.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
However, the pair have had a history of discord.—
Erica Marrison,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The food industry has weathered trade wars before, but this feels different in its scope and unpredictability.—
Phil Lempert,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Grain prices have returned to normalcy after the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war upset supply chains.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Conflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflict. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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