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Ambivalence vs Indifference - What's the difference?

ambivalence | indifference |

As nouns the difference between ambivalence and indifference

is that ambivalence is the coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea while indifference is the state of being indifferent.

ambivalence

English

Noun

  • The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea.
  • A state of uncertainty or indecisiveness.

    • Usage notes

    This word is often used as to express a lack of concern about the outcome of a choice to be made [http://www.google.com.au/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-10,GGLJ:en&q=ambivalent+to+mean+indifferent]. In this case, a more appropriate word to use is indifference. The confusion is probably caused by the similarity of sounds between the two words and the passive sound of the word.

    Related terms

    * ambivalent

    indifference

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The state of being indifferent.
  • Unbiased impartiality.
  • Unemotional apathy.
  • * His daughter's indifference towards the sexist group made him wonder if she was even human.
  • A lack of enthusiasm.
  • Unconcerned nonchalance.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1897, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me. I look upon notoriety with the same indifference as on the buttons on a man's shirt-front, or the crest on his note-paper.}}