Meaning & use
untrustworthy
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Not deserving belief or confidence; likely to deceive, fail, or behave dishonestly.
Grammar: Used before a noun (an untrustworthy person) or after a linking verb (he seems untrustworthy).
Patterns
- an untrustworthy [person/thing]
- seem untrustworthy
- consider someone untrustworthy
The witness was considered untrustworthy because of his criminal record.
She found the company's promises untrustworthy after reading the reviews.
The data from that website is untrustworthy and should be checked.
Word forms
| comparative | more untrustworthy |
|---|---|
| superlative | most untrustworthy |
Common combinations
- untrustworthy source
- The article relied on an untrustworthy source.
- untrustworthy person
- He is an untrustworthy person who has lied before.
- untrustworthy data
- The study was criticized for using untrustworthy data.
- seem untrustworthy
- The salesman seemed untrustworthy from the start.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unreliable
- Unreliable often describes things that fail to work consistently, like a car or a machine, while untrustworthy usually describes people or information that cannot be trusted.
- dishonest
- Dishonest means willing to lie or cheat; untrustworthy is broader and can also mean simply not dependable.
- deceitful
- Deceitful emphasizes actively misleading others, which is stronger than untrustworthy.
Opposites
Word family
- trustworthy adjective
- Able to be trusted or relied on.
- untrustworthiness noun
- The quality of not being deserving of trust.
Commonly confused: untrustworthy or distrustful?
untrustworthy vs distrustful
Distrustful describes a person who does not trust others, while untrustworthy describes someone who cannot be trusted.
Practice
After he lied several times, his colleagues found him completely ______.
Choose one answer.
Untrustworthy means not deserving of trust, which fits the context of a person who lies. Distrustful, untrusting, and mistrustful all describe someone who does not trust others, not someone who cannot be trusted.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “untrustworthy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.