conflict of interest

American

noun

the circumstance of a public officeholder, business executive, or the like, whose personal interests might benefit from their official actions or influence.

The senator placed his stocks in trust to avoid possible conflict of interest.
the circumstance of a person who finds that one of their own activities, interests, etc., can be advanced only at the expense of another of them.

Etymology

Origin of conflict of interest

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It said the information would only be used where relevant to conflicts of interest or to criminal or misconduct investigations.

From BBC

Rizer said he would leave the company if it ever had a project in northern Virginia to avoid conflicts of interest.

From The Wall Street Journal

The private investments involving UnitedHealth’s chief create the potential for conflicts of interest, ethics specialists said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Spokeswoman Anna Kelly insists, “There are no conflicts of interest.”

From The Wall Street Journal

It also analyzes whether an outlet acknowledges and corrects errors, reveals conflicts of interest, and distinguishes news reporting from opinion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023