ambivalence
30
7.8
- noun
- /æmˈbɪvələns/
:
ambivalencia
- His ambivalence towards the project was evident; he couldn't decide whether to support it or not.
- express ambivalence
- social ambivalence
- profound ambivalence
And the back and forth can look like ambivalence to other people and to ourselves.
- And the back and forth can look like ambivalence to other people and to ourselves.
- So then we come to the more the negative part of my ambivalence, the other side of it.
- And to talk about the, the ambivalence of motherhood and how it owns you, whether you own it.
- But as of as of five weeks ago, my my view is this isn't the time for for ambivalence.
- Isn't it cool that poetry is the ultimate reality show, a site for confusion, ambivalence, complexity, uncertainty, and big and tiny feelings?
- There will be ambivalence in their scarred, malleable souls.
- There was a lot of ambivalence from these people amongst themselves privately.
- Because we all of us have within us ambivalences, doubts, unfaithful thoughts, etcetera.
- So here you have the ambivalence, the city in creating an ambivalence of, of, of of symbolism.
- So there's always been this ambivalence, there's always been this area air of mystique, an intrigue.
- The won't is where the ambivalence and the confusion about leaving a narcissistic relationship really gets difficult.
- But since their character is somewhat less instrumental than that of institutions, they are less affected by this ambivalence.
Examples
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There was nothing to support her ambivalence, nothing tangible that she could put her hands around.
Fiction book (2000) -
His account expresses the Vietnam veteran's ambivalence and confusion, his sense of duty and betrayal.
Fiction book (1999) -
So then we come to the more the negative part of my ambivalence, the other side of it.
-
At the same time, his presence caused a real ambivalence in her feelings.
Fiction book (1992) -
I think working through ambivalence or through uncertainty is an important thing.
-
I got a feeling of overwhelming ambivalence.
-
Teachers, in general, seem to voice a sense of ambivalence as to the intended outcome of evaluation.
Academic text (1992) -
Don't you think that this whole process is about getting to your feelings of ambivalence?
-
Juanita Encinas regularly sees the kind of behavior that leads to ambivalence about American justice.
Academic text (1999) -
Insulated by the presence of the two boys, my post-divorce ambivalence toward relationships had begun to melt.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
1
7.6
An inner struggle between opposing beliefs or desires
A state of having mixed feelings about someone or something
A feeling of strong conflict inside a person about two different loyalties
Antonyms
How Conflicted
Surface Forms
Morphology
ambivalence = ambivalent (semi-transparent) = ambi + valent
The noun is a regular nominalization of the adjective 'ambivalent' (predictable formation: ambivalent -> ambivalence).
Etymology
The word ambivalence comes from two parts: ambi- meaning 'both' (as in ambidextrous) and valence meaning 'strength' or 'value' (think 'value'). Think of it as two strong feelings pulling you in different directions, which is why ambivalence means having mixed or opposite feelings.