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Two questions about words that go with "conflict of interest":

  1. When there is a conflict of interest, what adjective can I use to describe the person who "has" the conflict of interest? Can I use "biassed"? Or something else? Example:

Anyone who may be assumed to be [biassed] must themselves notify the board

  1. What verb can I use instead of "has" in Question 1? I know that this has already been addressed here (that's how I know that "has" is not the best choice here), but none of the answers to that post actually suggests a different word. I realise that it's better to rephrase, but sometimes (as in Question 1 above) that doesn't seem to be an option.
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  • Is this a list question? List questions are off-topic and are closed.
    – banuyayi
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 5:28
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    I think the answer to which you refer is wrong. I would always say that I do not have a conflict of interest when I am asked (which I frequently am).
    – mdewey
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 12:58
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    I seem to remember you work in a university so you could ask your colleagues what they are asked when they do reviews for English-language journals but I see the answer agrees with me.
    – mdewey
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 14:20
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    A list question asks for a list of words (because the querier is lazy, he/she can himself/herself get a list of words by searching online thesauri, but prefers to steal time of other forum members by asking for a list of words). This forum (not me) frowns upon such practices and such other practices such as not doing adequate research oneself and expecting other people to do their researching. This is a standard warning issued by moderators and I copypasted it. Looking at your question now, I fail to see why I made that comment.
    – banuyayi
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 14:34
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    Just to confirm that I submitted a journal review today and the question I was asked was `Do you have any conflict of interest ...'
    – mdewey
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 16:12

2 Answers 2

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First, only one s in “biased”.

You could use the adjective “conflicted”, but that may be taken to mean emotionally conflicted rather than subject to a financial or political conflict.

“Bias” might be a consequence of a conflict of interest. For example, if the victim of a crime was the friend of the judge overseeing the case, the defense can argue that the judge has a conflict of interest and the judge would almost certainly recuse himself; if the defense claimed that the judge was biased, it would be making the much stronger (and more insulting and difficult to prove) assertion that the judge was in fact allowing that friendship to affect his decisions.

But the right verb is certainly “to have”: you have a conflict of interest.

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  • Excellent explanation of the difference between being biased and having a conflict of interest! Thank you!!! As for the spelling, I used the one given in Cambridge dictionaries (dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/biassed), but I see now that they list both spellings (albeit in separate entries...) :)
    – Helen
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 14:03
  • I just found "partial" – would that work instead of "biased"?
    – Helen
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 16:18
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    @Helen — “partial” literally means “take the part [side] of”, but in modern usage, it almost always refers to a fondness or esthetic preference for. “I am partial to blueberry pie.”
    – Michael Lorton
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 22:59
  • Haha - good thing I asked then :) Thanks for clarifying this too!
    – Helen
    Commented Oct 3, 2022 at 21:22
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Self-serving (Merriam Wwebster Dictionary) serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others.

Self-dealing (Merriam Wwebster Dictionary)engagement in a transaction for the benefit of oneself rather than for the benefits of someone to whom one owes a fiduciary duty.

Vested interest (Cambridge Dictionary)a strong personal interest in something because you could get an advantage from it.

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  • I'm not entirely sure how this answers my questions..? Do you think you could clarify and/or give examples that fit the context given in the OP?
    – Helen
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 13:59
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    Anyone who may [be assumed to be biassed] must themselves notify the board. Anyone who may [have vested interest] must themselves notify the board.
    – banuyayi
    Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 14:22

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