# conflicting

/kənˈfɫɪktɪŋ/ (US) · /kənflˈɪktɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/conflicting
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. contradictory or opposing

adjective · CEFR B2

describes ideas, reports, or feelings that are different and cannot both be right.

For teachers: describes information, beliefs, or interests that are in opposition or mutually exclusive.

- The police received conflicting reports from the people who saw the accident.
- The jury struggled to reach a verdict because they were presented with conflicting evidence from two equally credible expert witnesses.

### 2. happening at the same time

adjective · CEFR B2

describes two events that are planned for the same time, so you can only go to one.

For teachers: describes schedules or appointments that overlap, necessitating a choice between them.

- I can't go to the party because I have a conflicting appointment at the dentist.
- Due to conflicting schedules among the board members, the annual general meeting had to be postponed until late September.

## Examples

- The two witnesses gave conflicting stories about the accident.
- The committee struggled to make a decision because they received conflicting advice from different experts.
- The study's results were difficult to interpret due to conflicting data sets that appeared to support two entirely different hypotheses regarding the cause of the disease.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.