conflict of interest: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Professional
Quick answer
What does “conflict of interest” mean?
A situation in which a person or organization's duty to make impartial decisions is compromised by a competing personal or professional interest.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A situation in which a person or organization's duty to make impartial decisions is compromised by a competing personal or professional interest.
Any scenario where an individual's or entity's judgment or actions could be influenced by a secondary, often financial, consideration that runs counter to their primary obligation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. The stress and pronunciation of 'conflict' may differ slightly. Common in both legal and professional contexts.
Connotations
Negative; implies compromised integrity. It's a serious accusation in professional settings.
Frequency
High and roughly equal in business, legal, and governmental contexts in both regions. Slightly more frequent in American corporate jargon.
Grammar
How to Use “conflict of interest” in a Sentence
have a conflict of interestbe in a conflict of interestdeclare a conflict of interestcreate a conflict of interestraise a conflict of interestbe fraught with conflicts of interestVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “conflict of interest” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- As a director, you must ensure your investments do not conflict with your duties to the company.
American English
- Her outside consulting work conflicts with her primary role at the firm.
adjective
British English
- The journalist was in a conflict-of-interest situation.
- He faced conflict-of-interest allegations.
American English
- She was appointed to ensure conflict-of-interest compliance.
- The board reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to situations where an employee's personal investments might influence company decisions.
Academic
Used regarding peer review when an author and reviewer are close colleagues.
Everyday
Rare in casual talk. Might humorously describe, e.g., choosing a friend's restaurant for a group dinner.
Technical
A legal term of art in corporate governance, public administration, and professional ethics codes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “conflict of interest”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “conflict of interest”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “conflict of interest”
- Using it as a verb phrase: 'The two companies conflicted of interest' (incorrect).
- Overusing in non-formal contexts.
- Misspelling as 'conflict of interests' (less common).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not always illegal, but it is often unethical or against professional codes of conduct. The key is often the failure to disclose it.
No, it's a noun phrase. The related verb is simply 'to conflict' (e.g., 'His duties conflict with his personal interests').
A conflict of interest is a situation with potential for bias, while corruption involves the actual misuse of power for personal gain. A conflict becomes corruption if it is acted upon.
Both are correct. The singular ('a conflict of interest') is more common when referring to a specific instance. The plural is used when discussing multiple or general instances (e.g., 'The industry is rife with conflicts of interest').
A situation in which a person or organization's duty to make impartial decisions is compromised by a competing personal or professional interest.
Conflict of interest is usually formal, professional in register.
Conflict of interest: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒn.flɪkt əv ˈɪn.trəst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːn.flɪkt əv ˈɪn.tər.əst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a judge being asked to rule on a case involving their own company. Their two roles (judge and company owner) are in CONFLICT because of their financial INTEREST.
Conceptual Metaphor
Integrity is a straight path, a conflict of interest is a fork in the road pulling you in two directions.
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is a 'conflict of interest' MOST likely?