ambivalent emotions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ambivalent emotions" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It refers to the experience of having conflicting or contradictory feelings about something or someone. You can use this phrase when describing someone's mixed or uncertain feelings about a situation or person. For example: - She felt a swirl of ambivalent emotions when she saw her ex-boyfriend again, torn between anger and nostalgia. - The decision to move to a new city brought up ambivalent emotions in him - excitement for new opportunities but also fear of leaving his familiar life behind. - The movie elicited ambivalent emotions from the audience, with some people loving it and others hating it.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Vietnam, of course, is different, a war the United States lost, and which engenders ambivalent emotions among voters.

The New York Times

Its authors, and editor Lee Gutkind, deserve credit for being unsparingly honest about doctoring, about decision-making, about their own ambivalent emotions.

The New York Times

And as I examined its cunning styling — the minuscule waistband that so ably exaggerates the fullness of bust and padded hips — I was filled with ambivalent emotions of recollected pleasure and stern reproach.

The New Yorker

The psychoanalytic explanation of Sigmund Freud speculated that the horror of incest derived from the combination of ambivalent emotions toward one's immediate family and repressed forbidden desires to commit sexual acts with family members of the opposite sex.

Encyclopedia Britannica

David A. Wolfe, a senior scientist and psychologist at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health at the University of Toronto, said that in situations of long-term sexual abuse and threat to life, victims inevitably develop complicated and ambivalent emotions toward their abuser in order to survive.

The New York Times

The gaiety and naturalness of Haydn's music held less appeal to the Romantic era of the 19th century, however, when dark, complex moods and ambivalent emotions were being explored in music; although many of his symphonies and quartets were performed with some frequency well past 1850, by the end of the century they had all but slipped from the repertory.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

On the one hand, a neuromarketing experiment based on the facial recognition of emotions of 10 subjects, when physical attributes and economic information of a technological product are exposed, shows the prevalence of the ambivalent emotion of surprise.

Physiology & Behavior

JACK JOHNSON After a pair of albums that plumbed ambivalent emotion and electric instrumentation, Jack Johnson returns to mellow form with "From Here to Now to You" (Brushfire) recorded at home on the North Shore of Oahu, with sunset breaks for surfing.

The New York Times - Arts

This results in a particularly ambivalent relation between emotions and morality.

SEP

Parents of premature infants often experience ambivalent or negative emotions toward their infants and/or about themselves during hospitalisation and after discharge.

BMC Pediatrics

Has our European age not taught us all we need to know about the ambivalent relationship between emotion, statehood and war?

EU Parlament

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ambivalent emotions" when you want to convey the presence of conflicting positive and negative feelings about a specific subject. Be mindful of the intensity implied; it suggests a genuine internal conflict.

Common error

Avoid using "ambivalent emotions" when the feeling is simply mild uncertainty or indifference. Ambivalence implies a stronger conflict between opposing emotions, not just a lack of strong feeling.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ambivalent emotions" functions as a descriptive element, typically serving as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun that represents a person or situation. It indicates a state of experiencing conflicting or contradictory feelings. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage aligns with standard English grammar.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ambivalent emotions" accurately describes the state of having conflicting or contradictory feelings about something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While "mixed feelings" serves as a common alternative, "ambivalent emotions" suggests a stronger internal conflict. Its usage is most common in news, encyclopedias and scientific contexts, indicating a neutral register with slightly formal leanings. When writing, reserve "ambivalent emotions" for situations genuinely involving conflicting feelings rather than simple uncertainty, and remember that it denotes emotional complexity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mixed feelings

Focuses on the combination of different feelings, without necessarily implying contradiction.

conflicting emotions

Highlights the contradictory nature of the feelings.

contradictory feelings

Emphasizes the opposition between the feelings experienced.

complex emotions

Indicates a complicated set of feelings, without specifying their nature.

mixed sentiments

Uses "sentiments" as a more formal synonym for "feelings".

uncertain feelings

Highlights the lack of clarity or resolution in the feelings.

divided emotions

Suggests that feelings are split or pulled in different directions.

equivocal feelings

Implies a lack of decisiveness or certainty in the feelings.

unresolved emotions

Highlights the lack of closure or resolution.

tenuous emotions

Describes emotions that are easily altered or not firm.

FAQs

How can I use "ambivalent emotions" in a sentence?

You can use "ambivalent emotions" to describe someone's mixed feelings about a situation or person. For example, "She felt a swirl of "ambivalent emotions" when she saw her ex-boyfriend again, torn between anger and nostalgia."

What phrases can I use instead of "ambivalent emotions"?

You can use alternatives like "mixed feelings", "conflicting emotions", or "complex emotions" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "ambivalent emotions"?

Yes, "ambivalent emotions" is grammatically correct. "Ambivalent" is an adjective that appropriately modifies the noun "emotions".

What's the difference between "ambivalent emotions" and "mixed feelings"?

While both phrases describe having more than one feeling about something, ""ambivalent emotions"" implies a stronger conflict between opposing positive and negative feelings, whereas "mixed feelings" can simply indicate a combination of different feelings without necessarily implying contradiction.