Synonyms for conflict
- noun
- verb
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Dispute
dispute, strife, disagreement, discord, antagonism, clashing, difference, clash, interference, discordance, controversy, quarrel, opposition, inconsistency, discrepancy, dissonance, argument, difference of opinion, contention, brawl, altercation, tangle
2. Struggle
struggle, battle, fight, action, combat, encounter, engagement, collision, contest, skirmish, tussle, affray, brush, scrimmage, fray dated
Verb
1. Contravene
Definitions
- n. 1
A clash or disagreement, often violent, between two or more opposing groups or individuals.
The conflict between the government and the rebels began three years ago.
- n. 2
An incompatibility, as of two things that cannot be simultaneously fulfilled.
I wanted to attend the meeting but there's a conflict in my schedule that day.
- v. 1
To be at odds (with); to disagree or be incompatible
Related words
- Word family
- conflictful conflictional conflictive conflictory conflictual conflicted
- Phrases
- conflict diamond
Forms
- Plural
- conflicts → disputes, strifes, disagreements, discords…
- Past participle
- conflicted
e.g. conflicted → contravened, infringed, interfered, collided…
Choose the right word
Conflict is a general word which describes opponents, whether individuals or hosts, as dashed together. One continuous conflict between entire armies is a battle.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- dispute Go is a game of dispute and conquest of territory.
- disagreement Tom intervened in his coworkers' disagreement.
- discord He sows discord by raising controversial subjects.
- strife This is nothing other than stirring up ethnic strife.
- battle Hitler and his allies had won battle after battle.
- struggle For Sami, not dwelling on the past was a struggle.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| conflict | rising | |
| dispute | steady | |
| disagreement | falling | |
| discord | steady | |
| strife | steady | |
| battle | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- fray1
- 5 letters
- fight1, brush1, clash1, brawl1
- 6 letters
- action2, battle2, combat2, strife1, tangle2, tussle2, affray
- 7 letters
- contest2, dispute2, discord2, quarrel2, collide2, palaver
- 8 letters
- argument3, struggle2, disagree3, skirmish2, infringe2, clashing2
- 9 letters
- encounter3, collision3, interfere3, scrimmage2, inharmony
- 10 letters
- difference3, opposition4, engagement3, contention3, dissonance3, antagonism5, contravene3
- 11 letters
- controversy4, discrepancy4, altercation4, discordance
- 12 letters
- interference4, disagreement4
- 13 letters
- inconsistency5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (action2 = 2 syllables).