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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
Trump has reserved special ire for the network’s George Stephanopoulos and Jonathan Karl in the past and called out Harris and Dana Walden’s friendship as a conflict of interest.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Sep. 2024
The California native took to social media to express his belief that the judge presiding over the case, Kevin M. Farmer, and his ex-wife, Samantha Lee, are colluding against him due to a conflict of interest involving Lee’s legal counsel.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2024
Judge Curtis Farber held the last-minute hearing Tuesday over the typically secretive grand jury proceedings because of a potential conflict of interest between Aidala and the grand jury judge hearing the presentment, the transcript shows.
—CNN, 5 Sep. 2024
At the time, OpenAI said Musk left to avoid a conflict of interest with his other company, Tesla, which was becoming increasingly focused on AI.
—Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for conflict of interest
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conflict of interest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1860, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of conflict of interest was
in 1860
Dictionary Entries Near conflict of interest
Cite this Entry
“Conflict of interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict%20of%20interest. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
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
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