conflict of interest

noun phrase

: a conflict between the private interests and the official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

Examples of conflict of interest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As such neither, as per Article 16 of the FIGC’s Sports Agents rules on incompatibility and conflict of interest, would have had to leave their roles in the event Pirlo senior secured the Italy job. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Kansas City municipal judges did not oversee the case to avoid a conflict of interest. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026 That the former couple’s employers would tolerate such a conflict of interest on a high-stakes investigation is absurd enough. — Alison Herman, Variety, 27 July 2026 That potential conflict of interest could make some doctors and patients uncomfortable. — Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for conflict of interest

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conflict of interest was in 1860

Rhymes for conflict of interest

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Browse Nearby Words

conflictive
conflict of interest
conflictual
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Cite this Entry

“Conflict of interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict%20of%20interest. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

conflict of interest

con·​flict of interest
ˈkän-ˌflikt-
1
: a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust
2
: a conflict between competing duties (as in an attorney's representation of clients with adverse interests) see also ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
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