ambivalent

/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/

Group 2Difficulty 1/3

Definition

(adjective)
Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something
GRE

Example in Context

Voters appeared ambivalent about the referendum, with polls showing the electorate evenly split until election day.

Synonyms

tornundecidedconflicted

Etymology

Having strong feelings in two opposing directions.

  • ambi- (Latin) — both
  • valere (Latin) — to be strong

Memory Aid

🤔Sounds like “I'm be villain”

When I’m BEING a VILLAIN, I’m AMBIVALENT about whether to save the day or cause chaos!

Visual Association

⚖️A superhero standing on a seesaw, unable to decide whether to save a cat or let it fall.

Semantic Clusters

😴 Laziness & Apathy↔️ Willingness & Reluctance

Synonym Groups

⚖️ Agreement Spectrum⚖️ Certainty Spectrum⚖️ Willingness Spectrum⚖️ Specificity Spectrum

Confusable Pairs

🪞 Ambiguous vs Ambivalent

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “ambivalent” mean on the GRE?

ambivalent (adjective) means “Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something”. Voters appeared ambivalent about the referendum, with polls showing the electorate evenly split until election day.

How to remember “ambivalent” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “ambivalent” sounds like “I'm be villain”. When I’m BEING a VILLAIN, I’m AMBIVALENT about whether to save the day or cause chaos!

What are synonyms for “ambivalent”?

Common synonyms: torn, undecided, conflicted.