3 syllables: con, flict, ing. Stress on flict.
kuhn-FLIK-ting
/kənˈflɪktɪŋ/
conflicting is pronounced kuhn-FLIK-ting (/kənˈflɪktɪŋ/). It has three syllables (con-flict-ing), with the stress on "flict". Conflicting is an adjective describing situations or statements that are in opposition or inconsistent with one another. It often refers to ideas, reports, or motives that cannot all be true at the same time. The term implies tension between conflicting elements and can suggest disagreement or contradiction within a context.
Conflicting is an adjective describing situations or statements that are in opposition or inconsistent with one another. It often refers to ideas, reports, or motives that cannot all be true at the same time. The term implies tension between conflicting elements and can suggest disagreement or contradiction within a context.
- You’ll often misplace the stress by saying con-FLICT-ing or con-flict-ing; fix by keeping the main emphasis on the second syllable: /kənˈflɪk.tɪŋ/. - The /fl/ cluster can bleed into /f/ or /l/; practice separating /fl/ with a brief lag between /l/ and /f/ to keep both sounds crisp. - The /t/ can be swallowed in quick speech; practice releasing /t/ clearly before the /ɪŋ/ with a small puff of air. - Vowel in the second syllable /ɪ/ can be too lax (like ‘uh’); keep it tight, like KIT, to anchor the syllable. - In connected speech, you may merge the /k/ into the /t/; ensure a brief boundary and a distinct /t/ to avoid fusion.
"The witness gave conflicting accounts of the incident, making it hard to determine what happened."
"There are conflicting reports about the safety of the new drug, leading to public confusion."
"Her statements were conflicting, showing two different perspectives on the issue."
Pronounce as /kənˈflɪktɪŋ/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: con-FLICT-ing. Start with a schwa /kən/—mouth relaxed, lips neutral. Then /ˈflɪk/ with a short, clipped lip-rounded /f/ followed by /l/ and a short /ɪ/ vowel. End with /tɪŋ/ where the tongue taps the alveolar ridge for /t/ and the final /ŋ/ is velar nasal. In connected speech, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable often reduces, and the /ɪ/ in the second syllable is crisp. Audio reference: try hearing it in standard dictionaries or pronunciation sites and mimic the rhythm: con-FLICT-ing.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing the primary stress, saying con-FLI-cting or con-FLICT-ing with wrong emphasis. Correct: /kənˈflɪk.tɪŋ/ with the stress on the second syllable. 2) Slurring the cluster /flɪk/ into /fli/ or dropping the /t/; keep a clear /t/ before the final /ɪŋ/. 3) Vowel quality in /ɪ/: avoid a lax, weak vowel; keep a short, tense /ɪ/ as in KIT. Practice by isolating /flɪk/ and adding the final /tɪŋ/ to retain crisp consonants.
US/UK/AU share the stress on the second syllable: con-FLICT-ing. Differences lie in vowel quality: US often has a slightly shorter, tenser /ɪ/; UK may show a marginally longer /ɪ/ and a less rhotic influence on surrounding vowels; AU tends to be more centralized vowels in some speakers, with a relaxed /ɪ/ and clearer alveolar /t/. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable remains stressed, so avoid reducing it. Overall, the primary rhythm stays the same, but vowel length and timbre vary subtly across accents.
Two main challenges: the consonant cluster /fl/ followed by /k/ can create a quick, slurred transition if not articulated; ensure the /t/ is released crisply before the final /ɪŋ/. Second, the secondary consonant blend /kl/ in some speakers’ rapid speech can blur into /k/ or /l/ without careful jaw positioning. Practice with slow pronunciation, separating /fl/ and /k/ slightly before speeding up. Keeping the /k/ distinct helps the word land with accuracy in both formal and casual speech.
Does the word ever hide a silent letter? No. It consistently pronounces all letters: /k/ in /kənˈflɪk.tɪŋ/, and the final /ŋ/ in -ing is pronounced as a syllabic nasal. The interesting element is the stress pattern and the vowel quality of /ɪ/ under stress, which can be influenced by adjacent fl- and -t- sequences in rapid speech. Focus on the second syllable’s vowel and the clear /t/ release to maintain accuracy in fast contexts.
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US: slightly shorter, tenser /ɪ/; /ɚ/ not typically involved unless in unstressed syllables. UK: longer, slightly creaky or clear /ɪ/ depending on speaker; non-rhotic tendency can affect nearby vowels but not the stressed syllable. AU: vowels may be more centralized in some speakers; keep the /k/ release crisp and avoid overbroad rounding on adjacent vowels. IPA cues: US /kənˈflɪktɪŋ/, UK /kənˈflɪktɪŋ/, AU /kənˈflɪktɪŋ/. Focus on maintaining steady second-syllable stress and crisp /t/ amidst adjacent /l/ and /ɪ/.
Conflicting comes from theLate Latin confligere, meaning 'to strike together, contend, clash,' from com- 'together' + -fligere, from fligere 'to strike.' The English form developed via Old French confliter or conflicting, with early senses tied to fighting or clashing physically. Over time, the sense broadened beyond literal combat to describe metaphorical clashes—ideas, reports, loyalties, or interests that oppose each other. The noun form conflict shares the same root and influenced phrases like conflicting interests or conflicting reports. By the 16th century, English usage had solidified to describe two or more elements that cannot co-exist coherently. In modern usage, “conflicting” commonly modifies nouns to indicate disagreement or inconsistency, whether in data, narratives, or motives. The semantic shift from physical clash to situational incompatibility reflects how language captures competing forces in social, political, and informational contexts, and the term remains a staple in academic, legal, and journalistic discourse. The word’s adaptability allows it to describe anything from juxtaposed evidence in a case to contradictory statements in interviews, maintaining a precise sense of opposition and incongruity. Through centuries, it has retained its core sense of clash, now most often non-physical but equally impactful on outcomes and interpretations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "conflicting" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "conflicting"
-ing sounds
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