as in unsure
having a mixture of opposing feelings
she's somewhat ambivalent about the relationship
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ambivalent
All this would amount to an ambivalent defense of the liberal order.
—
Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Perhaps, the uneasily ambivalent final moments of this movie lead us to wonder, because the pastor couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025
Adichie’s protagonists are independent and deeply ambivalent, not so much aloof as detached, both from their love interests and from their own desires and aspirations.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025
The Timepiece Arkansas has always been somewhat ambivalent about the use of alcohol.
—Arkansas Online, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambivalent
Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Perhaps, the uneasily ambivalent final moments of this movie lead us to wonder, because the pastor couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025
Adichie’s protagonists are independent and deeply ambivalent, not so much aloof as detached, both from their love interests and from their own desires and aspirations.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025
The Timepiece Arkansas has always been somewhat ambivalent about the use of alcohol.
—Arkansas Online, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambivalent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambivalent
Adjective
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Fewer than half of U.S. businesses report having a formal crisis communication plan, and 23% either don’t have one or are unsure if a plan exists.—
Nicole Tidei,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
When Ginny & Georgia’s Brianne Howey entered the courtroom set for Season 3, she was tasked with playing a new version of her usually confident and cunning character– one that was now afraid, powerless, and exceedingly unsure of herself.—
Jennifer Adams,
StyleCaster,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
On the red carpet, some performers expressed more conflicted feelings about LuPone.—
Gordon Cox,
Variety,
8 June 2025
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The decision alludes to her conflicted relationship to a clutch of attitudes that are often coded as right-wing.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
On the experimental end, the label isn’t afraid to push boundaries, as evidenced by Magnificent Little Dudes, a captivating collaboration between Japanese ambient artist Chihei Hatakeyama and jazz drummer Shun Ishiwaka.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Suspect's family detained: Wife, 5 children deportation Jewish community on edge: Amid ongoing attacks, Jewish people are afraid.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Kwame was hesitant to take the plunge for several reasons, the most prominent being his mother's refusal to attend the wedding.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
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Businesses that have invested years in tailoring their systems may be hesitant to risk functionality loss or reintegrate complex tools.—
Eric Giesecke,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The bill now moves to the Senate, where its future is uncertain.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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The impact of the decision is uncertain because immigrants could apply for legal status under other programs.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambivalent. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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