Ambivalent
adj. /æmˈbɪvələnt/ (ایمبِوَیلنٹ)Having mixed or contradictory feelings or ideas about someone or something, so that a clear decision or attitude is hard to reach.
Ambivalent Meaning in Urdu
Ambivalent describes a state where someone feels two opposite things about the same person, choice, or situation at the same time — not simply undecided, but genuinely pulled in both directions.
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1
Having mixed or contradictory feelings about somethingکسی چیز کے بارے میں ملے جلے یا متضاد جذبات رکھنا
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2
Unable to decide because of conflicting attitudesمتضاد خیالات کی وجہ سے فیصلہ کرنے سے قاصر ہونا
It is a common, useful advanced word for describing complicated emotional or practical situations, from relationships to career decisions.
Word Details
| Word | Ambivalent |
| Part of Speech | Adjective |
| CEFR Level | C1 (Advanced) |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Urdu Meaning | دوغلے جذبات رکھنے والا، متضاد خیالات کا شکار |
| English Meaning | Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something |
| Pronunciation | /æmˈbɪvələnt/ |
| Word Type | Standard advanced adjective, common in everyday and academic English |
| Commonness | Fairly common in both spoken and written English, especially when discussing emotions, opinions, or difficult decisions. |
Pronunciation
Simple English Explanation
Use this word when someone feels two conflicting things at once — for example, excited but also nervous about a new job, or wanting to help a friend but also feeling resentful. It captures genuine emotional conflict, not just simple uncertainty.
اردو وضاحت
یہ لفظ اس وقت استعمال ہوتا ہے جب کوئی شخص ایک ہی وقت میں دو متضاد جذبات محسوس کرے — مثلاً نئی نوکری پر خوش بھی ہو اور پریشان بھی۔ یہ محض غیر یقینی نہیں بلکہ حقیقی جذباتی تضاد کو ظاہر کرتا ہے۔
Example Sentences
Synonyms
Nuance: “Torn” is a more informal, everyday equivalent, while “conflicted” leans slightly more emotional; “undecided” is broader and doesn’t necessarily imply genuine opposing feelings.
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Word Family
| Form | Word |
|---|---|
| Adjective | Ambivalent |
| Noun | Ambivalence |
| Adverb | Ambivalently |
No standard verb form exists.
Ambivalent vs Indifferent
“Indifferent” means not caring either way — no strong feelings at all about the outcome.
“Ambivalent” is almost the opposite in spirit: it means caring strongly about both sides of a conflict at the same time, which is what makes the decision difficult.
Common Mistakes
✓ I am ambivalent about the plan.
“ambivalent” is normally followed by “about” or “toward,” not “to.”
IELTS Usage
Writing: Very useful for IELTS Writing Task 2 when discussing balanced or complicated views on a topic.
Speaking: Natural and common in Speaking Part 3 when giving a nuanced opinion.
Example: “”I feel quite ambivalent about social media — it keeps me connected, but it also wastes a lot of my time.””
MDCAT / Academic Usage
Common in psychology, sociology, and literature studies to describe complex or conflicting attitudes and relationships.
Word Origin / Etymology
From Latin ambi- (“both”) + valentia (“strength”), originally a psychological term describing the coexistence of opposite feelings toward the same object.
Memory Tip
Think: AMBI (both, like “ambidextrous” — both hands) + VALENT (strong feeling) — feeling both ways strongly at once.
Mini Quiz
1. What does ambivalent mean?
2. Correct preposition:
3. Which is closest in meaning to ambivalent?
Score: 0 / 3
FAQs
What does ambivalent mean in Urdu?
It means دوغلے جذبات رکھنے والا — having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.
Is ambivalent the same as indifferent?
No — indifferent means not caring at all, while ambivalent means caring strongly about two opposing sides at once.
Can I use ambivalent in IELTS Writing?
Yes, it works well when describing balanced or complicated views on a topic; explore more exam-ready words on the One Word, One Page hub.