ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsAambivalent
ISEE/SSATmedium
ambivalent
Meaning: having mixed or contradictory feelings
ambivalent in a sentence
How ambivalent is used in real sentences:
She felt ambivalent about leaving — excited and homesick at once.
She felt ambivalent about leaving — excited and homesick at once.
“Leo was ambivalent about opening them: he missed Arturo, yet resented the silence that had surrounded his past.”
— from the passage The Slanted Signature
Synonyms for ambivalent
Other words for ambivalent — conflicted, torn and uncertain — carry the same meaning.
- conflicted
- torn
- uncertain
Antonyms of ambivalent
Words that mean the opposite of ambivalent:
- certain
- decided
- resolute
Where it comes from
From Latin ambi- 'both' + valens 'strong'
Word parts
- ambi/amphi — both, on both sides, around
ambivalent: ambi- (both) + valent (strong, having power)
Memory hook
AMBI (both) + VALENT (strong feelings) — pulled both ways.
Practice ambivalent in the app