mistrust
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to regard with mistrust, suspicion, or doubt; distrust.
-
to surmise.
verb (used without object)
verb
noun
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
- mistruster noun
- mistrustful adjective
- mistrustfully adverb
- mistrustfulness noun
- mistrustingly adverb
- self-mistrust noun
- unmistrusted adjective
- unmistrusting adjective
Etymology
Origin of mistrust
1350–1400; Middle English mistrusten (v.), mistrust (noun). See mis- 1, trust
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Flock sincerely regrets the confusion and mistrust this has created within several communities, and made every effort possible to determine the cause of each reported instance of inadvertent sharing,” the post read.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
While Ring's Search Party feature is not directly connected with Flock, both companies have wrestled with public mistrust over privacy practices and their work with law enforcement.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
Leo, the Catholic Church's first American pontiff, said it was "more urgent than ever to replace the logic of fear and mistrust with a shared ethic capable of guiding choices towards the common good".
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
Maintaining financial independence isn’t a sign of mistrust.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026
Porlocks mistrust humans and always hide at their approach.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
