conflicted

adjective

con·​flict·​ed kən-ˈflik-təd How to pronounce conflicted (audio)
: experiencing or marked by ambivalence or a conflict especially of emotions
this unhappy and conflicted modern womanJohn Updike
conflicted feelings

Examples of conflicted in a Sentence

She was still conflicted about her ex-husband's remarriage. I'm conflicted about the prospect of our only child going away to college.
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.
Baker cuts to conflicted close-ups of Igor, underscoring his pangs of conscience on the periphery of the plot. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025 Pair it with chop suey, or lamb and mint sauce or a marmalade tart prepared by an outré chef who spouts long stories of conflicted brilliant travels on leaking ships or saddled mules or trains with cracked windows. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 An absurdist comedy-drama about Romania’s housing crisis and the country’s conflicted middle class, Kontinental ’25 follows a homeless man who seeks shelter in a house cellar and the well-meaning bailiff (Eszter Tompa) ordered to carry out his eviction. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025 Trump has always been a bit conflicted about the country. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conflicted

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of conflict entry 2

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conflicted was in 1789

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflicted. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

conflicted

adjective
con·​flict·​ed kən-ˈflik-təd How to pronounce conflicted (audio)
: having or experiencing emotional conflict
working women were much more conflicted about working than full-time mothers were about staying homePeople

More from Merriam-Webster on conflicted

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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