ambivalence
/amˈbɪv(ə)l(ə)ns
/ /amˈbɪvəl(ə)ns/ /amˈbɪvələns/noun [mass noun]
The state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone: the law’s ambivalence about the importance of a victim’s identity government ambivalence towards the arts...
- In the past, I might have struggled to join in, concealing my ambivalence with uncertain assertions.
- At every stage, ambivalence and indecision has meant that decisions were forced upon them by events on the ground.
- Montgomerie is equally tentative, possibly because he senses Kidd's ambivalence.
Synonyms
equivocation, uncertainty, unsureness, doubt, indecision, inconclusiveness, irresolution, irresoluteness, hesitation, hesitancy, fluctuation, vacillation, shilly-shallying, tentativeness;
conflict, contradiction, clash, confusion, dilemma, quandary;
muddle, vagueness, haze, haziness, unclearness
informal iffiness
archaic equivocacy
Rhymes
- attention-grabber
- attention-grabbing
- attention-seeker
- attention-seeking
- attention span
- attentive
- attentively
- attentiveness
- attenuate
- attenuated
- attenuation
- attenuator
- atter
- attest
- attestable
- attestation
- attestor
- at that
- at the best of times
- at the buzzer
- at the coalface
- at the door
- at the double (on the double)
- at the drop of a hat
- at the earliest