As a noun, a conflict is a serious disagreement or struggle between people, groups, or ideas. As a verb, to conflict means to clash or be in opposition.
From Latin *confligere*, meaning "to strike together" or "to clash in battle" (*con-* "together" + *fligere* "to strike"). Over time, the idea of physical fighting expanded to include emotional and intellectual clashes.
Conflict isn’t always bad; it’s literally things "striking together," which can produce sparks—and sometimes those sparks are new ideas. Stories, movies, and even jokes rely on conflict to stay interesting.
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