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Ambivalent

adjective · SAT

Meaning: Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something, such as being drawn to it and wary of it at the same time.

Examples

  1. Many residents were ambivalent about the new stadium: they welcomed the jobs it promised but worried about traffic and rising rents.
  2. In her letters, the novelist sounds ambivalent toward fame, at once craving recognition and resenting the loss of privacy.
  3. She felt ambivalent about accepting the job offer.

Synonyms and antonyms

Synonyms:

conflictedtornuncertainequivocal

Antonyms:

certaindecisiveresolute

Memory tip

"Ambi-" means "both," as in ambidextrous. If you're ambivalent, you feel both ways at once. That is not the same as indifferent, which means not caring at all.

Practice question

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

The researcher remained ______ about the results; although the data supported her hypothesis, the small sample size made her hesitant to draw firm conclusions.

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More SAT words

amicable

friendly and without serious disagreement

anecdotal

based on personal accounts rather than facts or research

antagonize

cause someone to become hostile

arbitrary

based on whim, not reason

arid

very dry, with little rainfall

assiduous

showing constant, careful attention and hard work

atrophy

waste away or become weaker through lack of use

banal

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring