mistrust

[mis-truhst]

noun

1. lack of trust or confidence; distrust.

verb (used with object)

1. to regard with mistrust, suspicion, or doubt; distrust.

2. to surmise.

verb (used without object)

1. to be distrustful.

mistrust

/ ˌmɪsˈtrʌst /

verb

1. to have doubts or suspicions about (someone or something)

noun

1. distrust

Other Word Forms

• mistruster noun
• mistrustingly adverb
• self-mistrust noun
• unmistrusted adjective
• unmistrusting adjective
• mistrustfully adverb
• mistrustful adjective
• mistrustfulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mistrust¹

1350–1400; Middle English mistrusten (v.), mistrust (noun). See mis- ¹, trust

Example Sentences

For now, the region holds its breath as negotiators prepare to gather in Egypt, hoping that despite deep mistrust and political fragility this round might finally open the way toward a ceasefire.

Read more on BBC

The 2021 report said police officers' membership of the Freemasons had been "a source of recurring suspicion and mistrust in the investigations".

Read more on BBC

“At a time when misinformation is fueling fear and mistrust, we must safeguard the proven standards that keep families and communities healthy,” California Medical Assn.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In a family fallout riddled with mistrust and rancour, the two camps stayed very tight lipped about the possibility of a meeting.

Read more on BBC

Afterwards, hundreds of HHS officials wrote a letter to Kennedy, accusing him of fuelling mistrust in public health officials by spreading misinformation.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• apprehension 
• distrust 
• doubt 
• fear 
• foreboding 
• misgiving 
• skepticism 
• suspicion 
• uncertainty 
• wariness 

When To Use

What’s the difference between mistrust and distrust?

As nouns, mistrust and distrust mean just about the same thing: doubt or suspicion—a lack of trust.As verbs, they are also often used interchangeably to mean to regard someone with suspicion—to not trust them.Some people think that there is a subtle difference in what each word implies. Distrust, they say, implies that there is a strong reason for the lack of trust—that it’s based on something that a person has already done. Mistrust, on the other hand, is said to be based on suspicion, as opposed to having a basis in someone’s past actions.This may be what some people intend to imply when they use each word, but, still, most people use the two of them in just about the same way. Distrust is the more commonly used of the two. The adjective distrustful is also more common than mistrustful.Here are some examples of mistrust and distrust used correctly in a sentence. In both cases, the other word could be swapped in without changing the meaning.Example: I have a deep mistrust of landlords. Example: She has distrusted me ever since I lost her book—and I think her distrust of me has grown since then. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mistrust and distrust.