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.
Fiennes has been nominated for an Emmy, seven Golden Globes, and three Academy Awards, including for his turn as a conflicted cardinal in the papal thriller Conclave (2024). Randall Colburn, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025 Such conflicted feeling tend to lead to inaction and postponing decision making, rather than just making adjustments, like trading down. Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Couples often feel conflicted about how to divide expenses, particularly when one partner’s salary far exceeds the other’s. Meredith Moore, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 Hoult is coming off a trio of starring turns late last year that showcased his range, playing a cold white supremacist in Justin Kurzel’s The Order, a conflicted husband in Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2, and a man fighting a despicable vampire in Robert Egger’s lush Gothic drama Nosferatu. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 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 25 Apr. 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

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