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ambivalent
/æmˈbɪvələnt/
mixed feelings
She felt ambivalent about moving abroad—excited but also anxious.
She had conflicting emotions: happy about the opportunity but worried about leaving her family.
formal
Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something or someone.
Many voters are ambivalent about the new policy.
Many voters feel torn between supporting and opposing the new policy.
He was ambivalent toward his job—he liked the pay but hated the hours.
He had conflicting feelings about his job: he appreciated the salary but disliked the long working hours.
Commonly used in psychology to describe conflicting emotions. Not to be confused with 'indifferent,' which means having no strong feelings.
Collocations
ambivalent abouthaving mixed feelings towardambivalent towardhaving mixed feelings about
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'ambivalent'
While 'ambivalent' is precise, it can sound overly formal. In casual speech, use 'conflicted' or 'mixed feelings' instead.
Gold Rule
Ambivalent vs. indifferent
'Ambivalent' implies strong but conflicting emotions, while 'indifferent' means having no particular feeling. They are not interchangeable.
Word Origin
From Latin *ambivalens*, meaning 'having conflicting feelings,' combining *ambi-* (both) + *valent-* (strength, from *valere* meaning 'to be strong'). Coined by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1910 to describe simultaneous attraction and repulsion toward an object or idea.
Usage Notes
Often used in psychological contexts but also in everyday speech to describe indecision. Avoid using it to mean 'uncertain' in a neutral sense—it specifically implies conflicting emotions.
Word Breakdown
ambi-
both
prefix-valent
strength
rootEnglish Dictionary