How to Pronounce “ambivalent”

American (US)

/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/

British (UK)

/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/

adjective — Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.

Example: She was ambivalent about moving abroad.

Synonyms: conflicted, undecided

Antonyms: certain

Where the stress falls. “ambivalent” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "ambivalent" mean?

ambivalent (adjective): Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something. For example — She was ambivalent about moving abroad.

How do you pronounce "ambivalent" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "ambivalent", /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "ambivalent"?

/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/ in American English, /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "ambivalent"?

“ambivalent” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.