Doubleminded

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by a mental state that grapples with conflicting ideas, where simultaneous opposing beliefs create confusion and indecision
2. Describing a condition marked by an internal struggle, where contradictory thoughts coexist and hinder clear resolution or commitment
3. Exhibiting a divided mindset filled with inconsistent beliefs that lead to uncertainty and difficulty in making firm decisions

Etymology: "Doubleminded" is a plain compound: "double" joined to "minded," with the two parts keeping their ordinary senses. "Double" comes from Latin "duplus," meaning twofold, and "minded" is the past-participle-style adjective built on "mind," so the word literally describes a mind split in two. The image is biblical in spirit, since the idea of a divided heart or divided loyalty runs through the King James Bible, though the English compound itself is a straightforward combination rather than a single coined invention. Its sense is about hesitation as much as deceit: someone who wavers between two courses of action, or holds beliefs that pull against each other, and so struggles to commit. The word works by taking the simple arithmetic of "two" and applying it to thought, so that a person's inner life seems to have two competing directions instead of one.

Synonyms: ambivalent, indecisive

Antonyms: decisive, single-minded