Meaning & use

mistrust

noun·Academic

A lack of trust or confidence in the honesty or reliability of someone or something.

See it in a sentence

Years of broken promises left the workers with deep mistrust of management.

The two countries' mutual mistrust made the peace talks difficult from the start.

A note on using this word

Mistrust and distrust are close synonyms, though distrust often implies a firmer, more active refusal to trust.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. verb

To have little or no trust in someone or something.

He mistrusted the stranger's offer because it sounded too good to be true.

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