trusty

American  

[truhs-tee] / ˈtrʌs ti /

adjective

trustier, trustiest

1. able to be trusted or relied on; trustworthy; reliable.

2. Archaic. trustful.

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noun

trusties plural

1. a person or thing that is trusted.

2. a well-behaved and trustworthy convict to whom special privileges are granted.

trusty British  

/ ˈtrʌstɪ /

adjective

1. faithful or reliable

2. archaic trusting

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noun

1. someone who is trusted, esp a convict to whom special privileges are granted

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• trustily
  adverb
• trustiness
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• trusties
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trusty

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at trust, -y ¹

Explanation

Use trusty to describe something you can count on, especially if you've relied on it for a long time. You don't need a fancy bike—your trusty roller skates will get you to school on time! This informal adjective is perfect for talking about people and objects that are tried-and-true, even if they're a little worn out. If your friend shows off her brand new laptop, you could say, "I'm happy with my trusty old typewriter!" Before the 14th century, trusty meant "trusting." As a noun, it can also be used to mean "trustworthy person," particularly a prisoner who has shown good conduct.

Example Sentences

This year, the trusty statistical model on kenpom.com gives No. 1 seeds Duke, Arizona and Michigan a combined championship probability of 57.9%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

My trusty travel agent stepped in and tried to get me a credit for what I’d overpaid, but she said the cruise line wouldn’t budge beyond about $200 — far below what I expected.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

It was a trusty workhorse, a 12-year-old Ford Fiesta with 100,000 miles on the clock.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Lotus Two Slice Toaster – My trusty $20 toaster recently gave up the ghost, and I didn’t realize how much I’d been settling until I dropped a bagel into the Lotus two-slice.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

Humiliated, I flick around on my trusty Zenith, trying to find the football game.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman