ambivalence
Americannoun
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uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
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Psychology. the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing that individual in opposite directions.
noun
Other Word Forms
- ambivalent adjective
Etymology
Origin of ambivalence
Explanation
Someone who shows ambivalence about a person or thing has conflicting feelings. If you love your mom but find her totally embarrassing, you might feel ambivalent about having her give a presentation at your school. Originally a psychological term, ambivalence was borrowed from the German word Ambivalenz, coined in 1910 by the Swiss psychologist Eugen Bleuler. The German word was formed from the Latin prefix ambi- "in two ways" plus Latin valentia "vigor, strength."
Vocabulary lists containing ambivalence
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Just Mercy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nguyen captures the ambivalence and anxiety surrounding these decisions.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
The subsequent track, Normal, is billed as "exploring the space between spotlight and silence" and expresses ambivalence about the cost of celebrity, with lyrics about surviving criticism and having to fake happiness for the cameras.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Despite his ambivalence to birthdays, the museum, which was co-founded by Fat Mike in 2023, pulled out all the stops for a “this is your life”-style birthday party.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026
While Wall Street greets AI with open arms, ordinary Americans respond with ambivalence, anxiety, even dread.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025
With the season opener a week away, the pressure now intensified on everyone else, on Brian Chavez with his metamorphic ruthlessness and Ivory Christian with his love-hate ambivalence and Jerrod McDougal with his religious zeal.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
