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.
Eartha Kitt remained as the villain, now joined by a delightfully conflicted henchman voiced by Seinfeld’s Patrick Warburton. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 July 2024 One of her passions, according to her bio, was the Seeds of Peace, a program designed to bring together children in conflicted countries, such as Arab and Israeli teenagers, to help foster feelings of goodwill and teach conflict resolution. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 15 Nov. 2024 This is the kind of honest, human moment that the average political documentary might resist, for fear of muddying an otherwise clear-eyed perspective, or even showing the filmmakers themselves having conflicted feelings, especially towards each other. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 Anthony Boyle stars as Brendan Hughes, a charismatic but conflicted military strategist, and Josh Finan as Gerry Adams, a leading political operator who would go on to negotiate peace and has always denied having any involvement with the IRA. Marc Berman, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near conflicted

Cite this Entry

“Conflicted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflicted. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!