Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples

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🤝 20 Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples

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Hey there! 👋

Have you ever been in a tense team discussion and heard phrases like “clear the air” or “bury the hatchet”, and thought, “What does that really mean?”

You’re definitely not alone. 😁

That’s exactly why I’ve created this “Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples” hub page.

It brings together the expressions my students ask about most.

This Conflict Resolution Idioms page shows you 20 common expressions used when talking about:

• Tricky conversations
• Mediation sessions
• Feedback meetings
• Team check-ins

Once you understand them, handling disagreements becomes much easier.

You’ll be able to navigate difficult conversations more smoothly and communicate more professionally.

Each idiom on this page includes:

• a simple explanation
• a real workplace example
• a quick quiz to help you practise
• a link to a full idiom page

You can use this page:

• as a reference
• to practise the idioms at your own pace
• to return to whenever you need help handling disagreements at work

Enjoy the lesson and I hope to see you in the next one!

Teacher Rob 🙋‍♂️

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😱 Being in Conflict or Disagreement

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1. 👉 At Odds With Someone or Something (Adj)

Meaning: In disagreement or conflict.
Example: The two departments were at odds over priorities.

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2. 👉 At Loggerheads (Adj)

Meaning: Strongly disagreeing with no progress.
Example: Management and staff were at loggerheads over pay.

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3. 👉 Lock Horns (V)

Meaning: Argue strongly with someone.
Example: The managers locked horns over budgets.

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4. 👉 Cross Swords (V)

Meaning: Enter into an argument or conflict.
Example: HR crossed swords with IT over the new system.

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5. 👉 Clash Heads (V)

Meaning: Disagree strongly.
Example: The executives clashed heads on company strategy.

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✅ Quick Quiz

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1. If two teams are at odds with each other, they are:

In disagreement or conflict
Working closely together
Ignoring each other

2. When people are at loggerheads, they are:

Close to reaching agreement
Strongly disagreeing with no progress
Planning a new project

3. If two managers lock horns, they:

Avoid speaking to each other
Support each other fully
Argue strongly

4. When departments cross swords, they:

Enter into an argument
Celebrate together
Share the same opinion

5. If executives clash heads, they:

Agree quickly
Disagree in a strong way
Cancel a meeting

🎯 Check your score 🔄 Try again

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🥵 Rising Tension and Anger

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6. 👉 At Each Other’s Throats (Adj)

Meaning: In a state of intense conflict.
Example: The teams were at each other’s throats after the delay.

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7. 👉 Be on a Collision Course (V)

Meaning: Heading toward conflict.
Example: Old policies and new demands were on a collision course.

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8. 👉 Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder (V)

Meaning: Be easily offended due to past issues.
Example: He had a chip on his shoulder after being overlooked.

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9. 👉 Tread on Someone’s Toes (V)

Meaning: Accidentally offend someone.
Example: She tread on a colleague’s toes during the meeting.

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10. 👉 See Red (V)

Meaning: Become very angry.
Example: The manager saw red when the deadline was missed.

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✅ Quick Quiz

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6. If two teams are at each other’s throats, they are:

Working peacefully
In serious and intense conflict
Ignoring the problem

7. If two groups are on a collision course, they are:

Moving toward a conflict
Planning a partnership
Avoiding each other

8. If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they:

Feel happy and relaxed
Forget past problems easily
Are easily offended because of past issues

9. If you tread on someone’s toes, you:

Accidentally offend them
Help them with a task
Strongly agree with them

10. If a manager sees red, they:

Feel confused
Become very angry
Change their mind

🎯 Check your score 🔄 Try again

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🔒 Deadlock and Ongoing Problems

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11. 👉 Be at a Stalemate (Adj)

Meaning: No side can move forward.
Example: Talks were at a stalemate over costs.

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12. 👉 A Vicious Cycle (N)

Meaning: A repeating negative pattern.
Example: Low morale created a vicious cycle of poor results.

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13. 👉 Stuck in a Rut (Adj)

Meaning: Unable to change an unproductive situation.
Example: The team felt stuck in a rut.

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14. 👉 Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (V)

Meaning: Avoid restarting a settled conflict.
Example: Management chose to let sleeping dogs lie.

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15. 👉 Move On (V)

Meaning: Accept the past and continue forward.
Example: After the dispute, the team decided to move on.

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🕊️ Resolving Conflict and Making Peace

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✅ Quick Quiz

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11. If talks are at a stalemate, it means:

One side has won
No one can move forward
A quick agreement was reached

12. A vicious cycle is:

A repeating negative pattern
A one-time mistake
A positive change

13. If a team is stuck in a rut, they are:

Improving quickly
Starting something new
Unable to improve their situation

14. If you let sleeping dogs lie, you:

Avoid restarting an old conflict
Bring up past problems again
Ignore your duties

15. To move on after a dispute means to:

Continue arguing
Accept the past and continue
Leave the company

🎯 Check your score 🔄 Try again

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16. 👉 Bury the Hatchet (V)

Meaning: End a conflict and make peace.
Example: The departments buried the hatchet.

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17. 👉 Call a Truce (V)

Meaning: Agree to stop arguing.
Example: The CEO called a truce to refocus the team.

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18. 👉 Let Bygones Be Bygones (V)

Meaning: Forget past conflicts.
Example: Staff were encouraged to let bygones be bygones.

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19. 👉 Shake Hands and Make Up (V)

Meaning: Reconcile after an argument.
Example: The colleagues shook hands and made up.

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20. 👉 Patch Things Up (V)

Meaning: Repair a damaged relationship.
Example: Leaders worked hard to patch things up.

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✅ Quick Quiz

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16. If two departments bury the hatchet, they:

End their conflict and make peace
Start a new argument
Ignore each other

17. If leaders call a truce, they:

Continue blaming each other
Agree to stop arguing
Cancel all meetings

18. If people let bygones be bygones, they:

Focus on past mistakes
Restart an old dispute
Decide to forget past conflicts

19. If colleagues shake hands and make up, they:

Become friendly again after arguing
End their partnership
Compete against each other

20. If managers try to patch things up, they:

Make the conflict worse
Repair a damaged relationship
Avoid speaking about the issue

🎯 Check your score 🔄 Try again

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Did you get 100%?

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There you go – a great set of Conflict Resolution Idioms with examples you can start using right away!

I promise you’ll spot these in:

• your next disagreement
• a feedback session
• a team huddle

And now you’ll know exactly what they mean, and how to drop them in yourself.

Which one surprised you the most?

My favourite is “bury the hatchet.” I like the idea of putting something under the ground and forgetting it forever.

Let me know your favourite in the comments below — I always enjoy hearing from you.

Ready for more?

Check out our other idiom guides for:

• complaints
• communication
• collaboration
• meetings

Go to my  👉 A-Z List of idiom categories to see more.

Happy learning,

Teacher Rob 🙋‍♂️

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Need help learning the idioms?

Check out my 👉 Best Way to Learn Idioms Quickly Page

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ℹ️ Other Useful Pages

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📚 Learning Resources

👉 Business English Idioms List

👥 Support Spaces

👉 Student Space
👉 Tutor Toolkit

⭐️ Extras

📫 Get a Daily Idiom

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We hope you enjoyed our Conflict and Conflict Resolution Idioms.

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