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conflict

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verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun conflict contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conflict are contention, discord, dissension, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

In what contexts can contention take the place of conflict?

The words contention and conflict are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When might discord be a better fit than conflict?

Although the words discord and conflict have much in common, discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When can dissension be used instead of conflict?

The synonyms dissension and conflict are sometimes interchangeable, but dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Where would strife be a reasonable alternative to conflict?

In some situations, the words strife and conflict are roughly equivalent. However, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When could variance be used to replace conflict?

While in some cases nearly identical to conflict, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conflict
Noun
The Houthis claim to have destroyed 17 Reaper drones since the Red Sea conflict began, worth about $30 million each. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025 When the levy breaks Fears that the global trade conflict will cause a recession are hitting markets beyond stocks. Jacob Pramuk, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
There is also wide agreement that the argument conflicts with more than a century of Supreme Court precedent that protects citizenship for most everyone born on U.S. soil, except for the children of foreign diplomats. arkansasonline.com, 14 Mar. 2025 Research yields conflicting results as to whether creatine increases anabolic hormones. Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conflict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflict
Noun
  • After all, many characters that came to Thailand this season were searching for peace but instead found chaos, strife, and anxiety.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The generals have been internationally isolated since the takeover and Myanmar's economy and basic services, including healthcare, have been reduced to tatters amid the strife.
    Reuters, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Since then, while tallies have fluctuated, the average has been around 180 clashes per day, an increase of about 30%.
    Andrew Carey and Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
  • White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the public clash between Musk and Navarro as an example of the administration's transparency.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Security guarantees for Ukraine that are directly tied to the cessation of hostilities can advance all three of these objectives.
    Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
  • But Israel's military plans for a major offensive in Gaza may reshape the course of the conflict, depending on the outcome of talks and possible further hostilities.
    Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Ricky Steamboat From Clash Of The Champions 6 The intense rivalry between Ricky Steamboat and Flair produced some of the most celebrated matches in professional wrestling history.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • But in China, it is seen as a prime battleground in the U.S.-China rivalry.
    Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Zoom in: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is dealing with three GOP factions that are colliding over the Trump budget bill.
    Hans Nichols, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The airport has faced scrutiny after an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided on Jan. 29, killing 67 people.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Earlier this month, discord within the party broke out after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted along with nine other Senate Democrats and one House Democrat to approve a House GOP funding measure in an effort to avoid a government shutdown.
    Julia Manchester, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
  • From taking your lighting to Clark Griswold-status to planting a towering oak smack dab on the property line, there are plenty of ways your garden can cause discord among the neighbors in record time.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The clashes are a sign of growing tensions at the Lebanon-Syria border, northeast of the Beqaa valley, where predominantly Shiite Lebanese villages have seen skirmishes with Syrian soldiers in recent weeks.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
  • After his skirmish with Diarra, Neal waved his arms to fire up Creighton fans in the sellout crowd.
    Ryan Morik, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged Canada’s sovereignty.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • What to know about Defense Secretary amid leak of war plans The Associated Press reported in 2021 that 12 members of the National Guard were removed from Biden's swearing-in ceremony because of concerns about ties to extremist groups.
    James Powel, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflict. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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