ambivalence

noun am·biv·a·lence \ am-ˈbi-və-lən(t)s \

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (such as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action

felt ambivalence toward his powerful father

ambivalence toward marriage

2 a : continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite)

b : uncertainty as to which approach to follow

ambivalence about their goals

Recent Examples of ambivalence from the Web

But that sense of ambivalence doesn’t seem to have reached rank-and-file white evangelical voters.

— tara isabella burton, Vox, "Poll: white evangelical support for Trump is at an all-time high," 20 Apr. 2018
Yet looming over the battlefield push are questions about how long support can be sustained, given skepticism in Europe about an open-ended military effort and ambivalence from Trump about involvement in foreign wars.

— new york times, BostonGlobe.com, "Afghan military strike kills at least 70 at mosque," 2 Apr. 2018
Like those leagues, MLB will find both a deep culture of fandom and broad ambivalence about the game itself.

— ira boudway, Bloomberg.com, "Will Major League Baseball Find Fans in the U.K.?," 29 Mar. 2018
Julian Fellowes’ book for the show exploits the moral ambivalence of Dewey’s musical pursuits right until the last scene, adding comedy, a bit of intrigue, and a healthy dose of frustration at Dewey’s Falstaff-by-way-of-Homer-Simpson character.

— jim rutter, Philly.com, "'School of Rock' at the Academy of Music: A two-hour blast of entertainment, with heart," 28 Mar. 2018
Never fearing a fight, John Bolton’s decades-long resume in government has been defined by a distaste for treaties, contempt for diplomatic niceties and an ambivalence for the need to get along.

— w.j. hennigan, Time, "Trump's New National Security Advisor Could Upend U.S. Foreign Policy," 23 Mar. 2018
The very past authorities Pinker invokes did not want to hawk psychic uppers for those in doubt and far more openly advertised the ambivalence of their own belief in progress.

— samuel moyn, The New Republic, "Hype for the Best," 19 Mar. 2018
Legalization is a key issue in the Michigan attorney general’s race, where all the Democratic candidates have backed it, despite initial ambivalence from some.

— shibani mahtani, WSJ, "Illinois Gubernatorial Candidates on Board for Legal Marijuana," 19 Mar. 2018
Apart from disbelief, the White House also has showed ambivalence about allegations of mistreatment of women: Steve Bannon was brought on as Trump’s chief strategist despite misdemeanor charges in a 1996 domestic violence case.

— juliet linderman, The Seattle Times, "White House response reflects obstacles facing abused women," 11 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ambivalence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.