Which should you use, ambiguous or ambivalent? The adjective ambiguous means not clear, or capable of being understood in more than one way. The adjective ambivalent means having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel.
| Incorrect: |
The wording is ambivalent and therefore hard to interpret decisively.
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| Correct: |
The wording is ambiguous and therefore hard to interpret decisively.
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| Incorrect: |
He felt ambiguous about testifying against his partner.
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| Correct: |
He felt ambivalent about testifying against his partner.
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| Incorrect: |
These countries have ambiguous feelings about the rise of China.
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| Correct: |
These countries have ambivalent feelings about the rise of China.
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