conflict of interest

noun phrase

: a conflict between the private interests and the official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

Examples of conflict of interest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, citing a conflict of interest due to a past attorney-client relationship with the family, kicked the case up to the state attorney general's office headed by Shapiro at the time. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025

Separately Monday, President Trump fired the director of the Office of Government Ethics, the official tasked with ensuring government workers comply with conflict of interest and ethics requirements. —Abc News, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025

Bennett’s role in the criminal probe is a clear conflict of interest, said Chuck Drago, a police-practices consultant and former Oviedo, Fla., police chief and assistant chief in Fort Lauderdale. —Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025

The White House similarly did not respond to a request for comment on conflict of interest concerns. —Matt Egan, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conflict of interest

• noninterest

Legal Definition

conflict of interest

con·​flict of interest

ˈkän-ˌflikt-

1

: a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

2

: a conflict between competing duties (as in an attorney's representation of clients with adverse interests) see also ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct