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Nora felt ambivalence about moving: she wanted a new adventure but would miss her friends.
What does Ambivalence mean?
Ambivalence means mixed, conflicting feelings, or uncertainty about a choice.
Dictionary definition
The state of having conflicting feelings or attitudes toward the same person, thing or action, such as wanting a change and also fearing it. Ambivalence can also refer to shifting between opposing attitudes or uncertainty about which approach to take.
Example sentences
Ambivalence in a sentence
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His ambivalence toward the competition combined excitement about playing with dislike of the pressure.
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The committee's ambivalence about its next step delayed the decision.
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Her ambivalence about the plan showed as she repeatedly moved between supporting and opposing it.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Ambivalence
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
Which situation most clearly shows conflicting-feelings ambivalence?
The first situation has opposing feelings about the same action. Indifference and missing information do not by themselves show that sense.
Practice 2
Choose the adjective: Nora felt ___ about moving because she wanted adventure but would miss her friends.
Ambivalent describes Nora's feelings. Ambivalence is the noun and ambivalently is an adverb.
Practice 3
Which sentence describes ambiguity rather than ambivalence?
Ambiguity concerns more than one possible interpretation. Ambivalence concerns conflicting attitudes or uncertainty about a course of action.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Ambivalence
Voice settings
Sounds like
am · biv · uh · luhns · strongest beat: biv
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordAmbivalence.
Partnoun.
MeaningAmbivalence means mixed, conflicting feelings, or uncertainty about a choice.
ExampleExample: Nora felt ambivalence about moving: she wanted a new adventure but would miss her friends.
Word breakdown
4 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- am · biv · uh · luhns
- Strongest beat
- biv
- Ending
- luhns
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on biv.
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Synonyms
Words like Ambivalence
indecisionUse for the choice-related sense: ambivalence about which action to take.
uncertaintyUse when ambivalence concerns being unsure which approach to follow; qualify what the uncertainty is about.
Antonyms
Opposite words
certaintyUse for the decision-related sense: a settled position rather than uncertainty about which approach to take.
Synonym practice
Word family
Ambivalence word family
Base word
ambivalence
adjective
ambivalent
Having mixed or conflicting feelings: ambivalent about moving.
adverb
ambivalently
With mixed or conflicting feelings: she spoke ambivalently about the move.
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Ambivalence
Hint for students
Stress BIV. Look for a pull in two directions, rather than assuming the person does not care.
Common mix-up
Ambivalence is not simply indifference. Ambiguity concerns an unclear or multiply interpretable meaning; ambivalence concerns feelings or attitudes. The broader uncertainty sense does not always specify two named emotions. Indecision, uncertainty and certainty in the relationship lists apply to the choice sense; they do not describe every mixed-feelings situation.
Try it in class or at home
Ask students to invent a character deciding whether to join a demanding club. Write one reason for wanting it and one for resisting it. Describe the character's ambivalence, then write a separate ambiguous instruction to contrast the two words.
Teacher prompt
Read: Nora wanted adventure but would miss her friends. Identify both feelings, explain why they concern the same move, and use ambivalence in a sentence about her choice.
Word category
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This word is part of WordHive's feelings words collection. Browse more emotion words, compare close meanings, and practice using them in sentences.
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