confliction: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowMostly found in business, management, or technical jargon; often considered nonstandard or redundant by language purists who prefer 'conflict'.
Quick answer
What does “confliction” mean?
The state, condition, or fact of being in conflict or opposition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The state, condition, or fact of being in conflict or opposition; a conflict.
A less common, often criticized noun form denoting a specific instance or the general state of clashing, discord, or incompatibility between ideas, interests, or entities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in acceptance; it is generally discouraged in formal writing in both varieties. Might be slightly more prevalent in American corporate jargon.
Connotations
Often carries a jargon-heavy, bureaucratic connotation. Using it may be perceived as trying to sound more technical or formal than necessary.
Frequency
Extremely rare in edited prose and general usage. Corpus data shows minimal occurrence compared to the noun 'conflict'.
Grammar
How to Use “confliction” in a Sentence
between [A] and [B]of [interests/ideas]within [an organisation/individual]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “confliction” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [The word 'confliction' is not a verb. The verb is 'conflict'.]
American English
- [The word 'confliction' is not a verb. The verb is 'conflict'.]
adverb
British English
- [No adverbial form.]
American English
- [No adverbial form.]
adjective
British English
- [No standard adjectival form of 'confliction'. Use 'conflicting'.]
American English
- [No standard adjectival form of 'confliction'. Use 'conflicting'.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in jargon, e.g., 'We need to resolve the role confliction in the matrix management structure.'
Academic
Rare; typically avoided in favour of 'conflict'. Might appear in softer social sciences discussing internal states.
Everyday
Virtually never used. The word 'conflict' is the standard choice.
Technical
Occasionally in software or systems engineering to describe incompatible states or rules, though 'conflict' remains dominant.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “confliction”
- Using 'confliction' where 'conflict' is perfectly adequate and preferred.
- Misspelling as 'conflication'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it appears in some dictionaries, but it is marked as rare or nonstandard. It is generally considered unnecessary, as 'conflict' is the standard noun.
It is not recommended. For clarity and style, use the well-established noun 'conflict'. Using 'confliction' may distract your reader or mark your writing as jargon-heavy.
There is no meaningful difference in denotation. 'Confliction' is a later, less accepted formation that tries to make the state of conflict into a more Latinate-sounding abstract noun. 'Conflict' already fulfills this role perfectly.
No. The verb is 'to conflict'. 'Confliction' is only used as a noun.
The state, condition, or fact of being in conflict or opposition.
Confliction is usually mostly found in business, management, or technical jargon; often considered nonstandard or redundant by language purists who prefer 'conflict'. in register.
Confliction: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈflɪk.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈflɪk.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specifically for 'confliction'; idioms use 'conflict': e.g., 'conflict of interest', 'in conflict with']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Confliction' is the *action* or *condition* (-tion) of being in a conflict. However, remember that 'conflict' already covers this, so adding '-tion' is often an unnecessary 'confliction' with good style.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONFLICT IS A COLLISION / CONFLICT IS A BURDEN (e.g., 'weighed down by internal confliction').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'confliction' MOST likely to be encountered, even if discouraged?