as in unsure
having a mixture of opposing feelings
she's somewhat ambivalent about the relationship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ambivalent
But nutritionists have been ambivalent about the dangers of eating eggs.
—
Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2026
The book is mostly about novels that depict characters who are ambivalent about having children.
—Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Many are ambivalent about what comes next.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
In the North the novel turned many previously ambivalent people into abolitionists.
—Tara Ramanathan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambivalent
Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2026
The book is mostly about novels that depict characters who are ambivalent about having children.
—Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Many are ambivalent about what comes next.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
In the North the novel turned many previously ambivalent people into abolitionists.
—Tara Ramanathan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ambivalent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambivalent
Adjective
-
Like many students, Headley is now left in limbo, unsure how finals will be submitted or graded.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
The Mets are unsure if his hip led to decreased velocity.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Braff admits, but explains the conflicted choice.—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Why not let Al-Hashimi speak for herself in the same way that Robby has tried to explain to Dana and Duke his conflicted feelings about continuing to work at PTMC?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Umpires, afraid of being overturned, or at least, more aware of the new zone and its limitations, have been calling fewer strikes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Almost half are personally afraid of losing their job to AI, ranking it among the most acute individual stressors measured in the survey.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Few county shelters have kennels, and people sleeping outside are often hesitant to abandon their pets just to sleep in a bed for a few nights.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Austria, a European Union member with a policy of military neutrality, was initially hesitant to take such action but has recently expelled more Russian diplomats.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
The team now plans to further refine the method for broader industrial applications where robots must operate under uncertain or changing conditions.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
In March, Beijing set its lowest growth target in decades, as the world’s second-largest economy grapples with weak domestic demand and an uncertain global outlook.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ambivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambivalent. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
