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Ambivalence vs Puzzlement - What's the difference?

ambivalence | puzzlement |

As nouns the difference between ambivalence and puzzlement

is that ambivalence is the coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea while puzzlement is the confusing state of being puzzled; bewilderment.

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

    puzzlement

    English

    Noun

  • The confusing state of being puzzled; bewilderment
  • A puzzle.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2007, date=October 14, author=Alex Mindlin, title=1924, Through an Ancestor’s Eyes, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=The diary contains plenty of small puzzlements . }}