conflation

/kənˈfleɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈfleɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈflā-shən/ (ame, mw)

conflation — noun

  • conflationsingular
  • conflationsplural

1. the act of mixing separate ideas, texts, or situations together and treating the

1.名詞C2
釋義

the act of mixing separate ideas, texts, or situations together and treating them as if they were the same thing, often wrongly

例句

The article's conflation of rumor and fact confused many readers.

pattern: conflation of A and B

In class, Hari warned against the conflation of accent and intelligence.

formal criticism: warn against conflation of

同義詞
  • confusion

    broader, and can simply mean lack of understanding

  • mix-up

    more informal, often for practical mistakes

  • blurring

    stresses unclear boundaries rather than full sameness

  • merging

    more neutral and often intentional

反義詞
  • distinction

    keeps the ideas apart instead of treating them as the same

文法句型

the conflation of A and B

a conflation of two separate issues

用法筆記

Usually appears in formal criticism or analysis, often in the pattern the conflation of A and B. It nearly always suggests that the things named should have been kept separate, so the word usually sounds critical rather than neutral.

常見錯誤

❌The dish is a tasty conflation of noodles and cheese.
✅The dish is a tasty fusion of noodles and cheese.
💡conflation usually suggests a misleading mixing, not a neutral or positive combination.