Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples

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🤝 20 Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples

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 put together this handy list of Conflict Resolution Idioms Examples.

It brings together the idioms that my students ask about the most.

These conflict resolution idioms examples pop up all the time in:

tricky conversations
mediation sessions
feedback meetings
team check-ins

Once you know them, everything gets easier.

You’ll navigate disagreements smoothly and start sounding like a professional.

Each one comes with:

a simple explanation
a real workplace example
quick tips so you can start using it right away
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 learning, and I hope to see you in the next lesson.

Teacher Rob 🙋‍♂️

😱 Being in Conflict or Disagreement

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

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

2. 👉 At Loggerheads (Adj)

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

3. 👉 Lock Horns (V)

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

4. 👉 Cross Swords (V)

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

5. 👉 Clash Heads (V)

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

🥵 Rising Tension and Anger

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.

7. 👉 Be on a Collision Course (V)

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

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.

9. 👉 Tread on Someone’s Toes (V)

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

10. 👉 See Red (V)

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

🔒 Deadlock and Ongoing Problems

11. 👉 Be at a Stalemate (Adj)

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

12. 👉 A Vicious Cycle (N)

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

13. 👉 Stuck in a Rut (Adj)

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

14. 👉 Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (V)

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

15. 👉 Move On (V)

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

🕊️ Resolving Conflict and Making Peace

16. 👉 Bury the Hatchet (V)

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

17. 👉 Call a Truce (V)

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

18. 👉 Let Bygones Be Bygones (V)

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

19. 👉 Shake Hands and Make Up (V)

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

20. 👉 Patch Things Up (V)

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

Did you get 100%?

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:

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

Happy learning,

Teacher Rob 🙋‍♂️

Need help learning the idioms?

Check out my 👉 Best Way to Learn Idioms Quickly Page

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