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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

Examples 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
Accused of being an informant for the British Army during the period of sectarian conflict, McConville had been abducted from her Belfast home in 1972 by members of the IRA and killed. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024 But not all conflicts are so cut-and-dried; some can go on for decades, with multiple wars waged as underlying problems remain unresolved. John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
This unconventional column is based on value pluralism — the idea that each of us has multiple values that are equally valid but that often conflict with each other. Sigal Samuel, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024 There are conflicting reports of who Jamie was being taken care of the night her mother disappeared, and Jamie was too young at the time to remember. Anna Turning, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conflict 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflict
Noun
  • Content by this author: Afghanistan’s Ethnic Puzzle In 2001, fearing ethnic strife, the international community pushed for a strong central government in Kabul.
    Thomas Barfield, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
  • The official synopsis for Rose’s Lear Rex reads: An aging king decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters to prevent future strife.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • After sidestepping any possibility of Jones triggering a $23 million injury guarantee by benching the starter, the Giants are giving DeVito another audition in the nation’s biggest media market—which includes a Thanksgiving clash with the Dallas Cowboys.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Western leaders including Biden have said that avoiding a direct clash between Russia and NATO is a top priority given the danger of nuclear war.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Mikati said that Hezbollah has agreed to language that would restore an end of hostilities in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1701.
    NBC News, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024
  • However, markets barely had time to digest that data before escalating hostilities in the Middle East took center stage when Iran launched a barrage of missiles aimed at Israel.
    JJ Kinahan, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Each team will be hoping for more chaos in the coming weeks coupled with a rivalry win this weekend.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024
  • Two days after tensions flared going into halftime of the crosstown rivalry game, DeShaun Foster remained salty about UCLA being the only team punished.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • These ejections can collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, the barrier protecting humanity from the harshest effects of space weather, to produce geomagnetic storms that unleash spectacular views of the northern lights in parts of the country where auroras are not often visible.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
  • Blankenship appeared to injure his arm after colliding with Slay during Kyren Williams' 27-yard run early in the first quarter.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • With a perceptively pro-fossil fuel stance of many in Baku, discord spilled out into the open.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • More:Trump says US intel briefed him about how Iran wants to assassinate him to sow discord in US The two men charged in New York also allegedly were recruited to kill an American journalist, Masih Alinejad, a journalist and activist who has criticized Iran's head-covering laws for women.
    Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The United States has consistently urged caution and restraint on both sides of the conflict, warning that the continuation of the skirmishes could unintentionally erupt into a broad regional war.
    Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024
  • The commission must now fight a separate legal battle in a bid to enforce the fine — one of many skirmishes pitting the Australian government against tech mogul Musk.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Gabbard has taken a much softer approach to China than the president-elect, calling on Trump to end his trade war against Beijing in 2019 and expressing her opposition to the remilitarization of Japan, a response to the strategic challenge posed by China.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Firstly, prices for gold and silver have been rising this year, driven by easing inflation, uncertain remarks by the Fed, and geopolitical concerns given the ongoing wars between Russia - Ukraine.
    Trefis Team, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near conflict

Cite this Entry

“Conflict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflict. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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