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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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
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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
Adjective
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The poll shows that Americans remain conflicted over constitutional rights for immigrants, with 45 percent agreeing that First Amendment free speech should apply to all, regardless of legal status, while 43 percent believe undocumented migrants should not receive any constitutional rights.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Kirby transformed superheroes from two-dimensional cops with capes into layered, conflicted individuals.—
Michael Callahan,
Air Mail,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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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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But some people may be hesitant about having any of their activities tracked to benefit a multi-trillion-dollar conglomerate.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2025
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In the meantime, businesses are left in the murky waters — hesitant to make more or ship more, unsure where to build factories or how high to raise prices.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Though Bonnie had experience with bottle babies, this kitten's fragile condition made survival uncertain.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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His departure marks the second shortest time any actor has spent as the Doctor — logging in just one more season than Christopher Eccleston — and certainly leaves the future of the iconic British show uncertain.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambivalent. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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