distrust

[dis-truhst]

verb (used with object)

1. to regard with doubt or suspicion; have no trust in.

noun

1. lack of trust; doubt; suspicion.

distrust

/ dɪsˈtrʌst /

verb

1. to regard as untrustworthy or dishonest

noun

1. suspicion; doubt

Other Word Forms

• distruster noun
• predistrust noun
• distrustfully adverb
• distrustfulness noun
• distrustful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of distrust¹

First recorded in 1505–15; dis- ¹ + trust

Synonym Study

See suspicion.

Example Sentences

Part of his appeal also stems from his individualist candor and public distrust of institutions.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Diplomatic dynamics in South Asia are driven by long-running distrust between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi seeking to exploit divisions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Read more on Barron's

Warsh believes that the markets distrust the Powell Fed after a series of policy mistakes has left inflation running hot.

Read more on Barron's

And he fears that right-wing narratives around public schools, the distrust and lack of support for highly trained district leaders — whether from some parents or politicians — could lead accomplished educators to walk away.

Read more on Salon

However, the country has been rocked by several waves of deadly sectarian violence since then, fuelling fear and distrust among minorities.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• disbelief 
• doubt 
• misgiving 
• mistrust 
• skepticism 
• suspicion 
• wariness 

When To Use

What’s the difference between distrust and mistrust?

As nouns, distrust and mistrust 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 distrust and mistrust 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 distrust and mistrust.