ambivalent

[ am-biv-uh-luhnt ]

/ æmˈbɪv ə lənt /

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See synonyms for ambivalent on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two (usually opposing) courses of action: The whole family was ambivalent about the move to the suburbs.She is regarded as a morally ambivalent character in the play.

Psychology. of or relating to the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing that individual in opposite directions.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of ambivalent

Back formation from ambivalence

OTHER WORDS FROM ambivalent

am·biv·a·lent·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ambivalent

ambiguous, ambivalent

Words nearby ambivalent

ambit, ambitendency, ambition, ambitious, ambivalence, ambivalent, ambivalent sexism, ambiversion, ambivert, amble, Ambler

How to use ambivalent in a sentence

That’s when the anxious attachment style or ambivalent attachment style is created.
Why People Feel Like Victims - Issue 99: Universality|Mark MacNamara|May 5, 2021|Nautilus
Some people took extreme positions but most had ambivalent feelings.
We Need More 'Good Conflict' in Our Lives. Here's How It Works|Amanda Ripley|April 17, 2021|Time
Again, the United States remained ambivalent, despite playing a role in spearheading the United Nations.
America’s traditions pose an obstacle to preventing future pandemics|Elizabeth Bradley, Christopher McKnight Nichols|April 15, 2021|Washington Post
Will Douglas Heaven shows off a sample of GPT-3’s clever writing and explains why some are ambivalent about its achievements.
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2021|David Rotman|February 24, 2021|MIT Technology Review

TikTok’s tortilla trend is basically a quesadilla — with extra fun folded inI’m ambivalent about these, but that’s because I generally dislike the concept of snack mixes and mixed-nut blends.
‘Cereal snacks’ are just bigger cereal for people too lazy to add milk|Emily Heil|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Sometimes she sees clients who are ambivalent about their kink identities.
Coming Out Kinky to Your Doctor, in Black and Blue|Heather Boerner|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What makes Noah mildly ambivalent, yet cautiously optimistic?
The Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah Sounds Off on Weed, the Weather, and Winning|Bill Schulz|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
True to form, Palmer is ambivalent about Weaver, with whom he does commercials and TV commentary.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up|Tom Boswell|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Today, many Californians feel ambivalent about illegal immigration.
Careful What You Wish For: Here’s What California Would Look Like Without Illegal Immigrants|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On some level, Brecht meant for Mother Courage to be an ambivalent figure—he called her “a great living contradiction.”
Brecht's Mercenary Mother Courage Turns 75|Katie Baker|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Let us recall that in our earlier discussion we took note of the ambivalent character of love.
Herein is Love|Reuel L. Howe
But I have to ask if the feelings and instincts are really ambivalent?
Collected Papers on Analytical Psychology|C. G. Jung
Let us suppose the subject has ambivalent feelings toward his father.
A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis|Melvin Powers
I mean that the relation is really ambivalent, that is, it is composed of conflicting feelings of tenderness and hostility.
Totem and Taboo|Sigmund Freud
Thus we find again that taboo has grown out of the soil of an ambivalent emotional attitude.
Totem and Taboo|Sigmund Freud