Conflict and Conflict Resolution Idioms
| Idiom | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| At odds with someone or something | In disagreement or conflict | “The marketing and sales teams were constantly at odds with each other over the new product launch strategy.” |
| At loggerheads | In a state of disagreement or conflict | “The company’s management and the labor union were at loggerheads over the proposed wage cuts.” |
| Lock horns | To engage in a heated argument or conflict | “The project managers locked horns over the allocation of resources for the upcoming project.” |
| Clash heads | To argue or disagree strongly | “The two executives clashed heads over the company’s direction for the next fiscal year.” |
| Cross swords | To engage in a conflict or argument | “The HR department crossed swords with the IT department over the implementation of a new time tracking system.” |
| At each other’s throats | In a state of intense hostility or conflict | “The sales team was at each other’s throats after missing their quarterly sales target.” |
| Be on a collision course | To be heading towards a conflict or disagreement | “The company’s outdated policies and the changing market trends were on a collision course.” |
| Have a chip on one’s shoulder | To be easily offended or angered, often due to past grievances | “The new employee had a chip on his shoulder after being passed over for a promotion.” |
| Tread on someone’s toes | To offend or annoy someone | “The manager inadvertently tread on the team’s toes by micromanaging their work.” |
| To see red | To become very angry | “The CEO saw red when he discovered the financial irregularities in the accounting department.” |
| Be at a stalemate | To be in a situation where neither side can win or make progress | “The negotiations between the company and the suppliers were at a stalemate over the pricing terms.” |
| A vicious cycle | A repeating pattern of negative events or behaviors | “The company was stuck in a vicious cycle of low morale, decreased productivity, and high turnover.” |
| In a rut | In a fixed routine that is difficult to change | “The department was in a rut, and the employees felt unmotivated and disengaged.” |
| To bury the hatchet | To make peace and end a quarrel | “After months of tension, the two departments finally buried the hatchet and agreed to work together on the project.” |
| Call a truce | To agree to stop fighting or arguing temporarily | “The CEO called a truce between the warring factions and urged them to focus on finding a solution.” |
| Let bygones be bygones | To forget about past disagreements or offenses | “The HR manager encouraged the employees to let bygones be bygones and focus on building a positive work environment.” |
| Shake hands and make up | To reconcile after a quarrel | “The two colleagues shook hands and made up after their heated argument.” |
| To patch things up | To repair a damaged relationship or situation | “The CEO tried to patch things up between the marketing and sales teams after the failed product launch.” |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | To avoid disturbing a situation that is currently calm or peaceful | “The manager decided to let sleeping dogs lie and avoid addressing the underlying tension between the two employees.” |
| To move on | To continue with one’s life after a difficult or unpleasant experience | “After the merger, the employees had to learn to move on and adapt to the new company culture.” |
Conflict and Conflict Resolution Idioms