GREAT GIFT IDEA!

The Vocabulary Builder Workbook of Adjectives

✔ Add 2,000 must-know adjectives to your vocabulary.

✔ All-in-one: dictionary, thesaurus, & workbook.

✔ 99 categorized lessons, 232 practical activities.

✔ Suitable for students & professionals of all ages.

✔ Ideal preparation for: TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, CPE, BEC, PTE, FCE

Buy on Amazon

4.9

Transform Your Vocabulary Today!

conflate

verb

/kənˈfleɪt/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of conflate

To mix or merge two or more different things together, often in a way that causes confusion or misunderstanding.
"It's a common mistake to conflate confidence with arrogance in leadership roles."

Detailed meaning of conflate

It can also refer to the act of confusing or combining two distinct concepts, ideas, or pieces of information into one. The term is often used in situations where people or organizations are taking two separate ideas and presenting them as one, often with the intention of deceiving or misleading others. This can happen in various fields, for example in politics, where different issues are being conflated to push a certain agenda or in science where two different theories are being presented as one. Conflating can also happen unintentionally when one is not aware of the difference of two things or concepts. It is important to be aware of conflation as it can lead to misunderstandings and can also be used as a manipulation tactic.

Example sentences containing conflate

1. Due to ignorance, individuals frequently conflate myth with historical events.
2. In the debate, he tried to conflate the opponent's past actions with his platform.
3. It's problematic when media sources conflate bias with objective reporting.
4. Critics often conflate an artist's personal life with their creative work.
5. When studying literature, it's essential not to conflate the author with the narrator.
6. People sometimes conflate their own experiences with universal truths.

History and etymology of conflate

The verb 'conflate' has its origins in Latin. It is derived from the Latin word 'conflatus,' which is the past participle of 'conflare,' a combination of 'con,' meaning 'together,' and 'flare,' meaning 'to blow' or 'to inflate.' In its original Latin usage, 'conflare' meant to blow together or fuse, often referring to the act of melting metals together. Over time, the term evolved to encompass the broader concept of merging or mixing things together. When we use 'conflate' in English, it signifies the act of combining two or more different elements into a single entity, often in a way that blurs their distinctions and can lead to confusion or misunderstanding. The etymology of 'conflate' thus underscores the idea of bringing things together, sometimes to the point of creating ambiguity or blending.

Quiz: Find the meaning of the verb conflate:

answer1

answer2

answer3

answer4

Try Again!

Correct!

Continue Quiz

Further usage examples of conflate

1. In discussions about health, it's crucial not to conflate correlation with causation.
2. Newcomers to the field may conflate distinct theories, causing confusion.
3. It's a logical fallacy to conflate popularity with quality or correctness.
4. In the realm of philosophy, it's easy to conflate one's beliefs with objective reality.
5. Advertisers often conflate a product's value with the lifestyle it represents.
6. Emotional responses can lead people to conflate assumptions with verifiable facts.
7. In religious studies, scholars caution not to conflate traditions from diverse cultures.
8. In our globalized world, it's common to conflate cultures, missing unique nuances.
9. During the symposium, attendees began to conflate separate arguments, muddying the discourse.
10. In the world of cuisine, it's tempting to conflate regional dishes with national identity.
11. Children learning language can conflate synonyms, even when nuances differ.
12. In complex systems, analysts should avoid the urge to conflate multiple variables.
13. When discussing mental health, it's essential not to conflate temporary states with chronic conditions.
14. In the realm of music, it's a mistake to conflate an artist's genre with their capabilities.