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Synonyms

trustworthy

American  
[truhst-wur-thee] / ˈtrʌstˌwɜr ði /

adjective

  1. deserving of trust or confidence; dependable; reliable.

    The treasurer was not entirely trustworthy.

    Synonyms:
    faithful, honorable, honest, true

trustworthy British  
/ ˈtrʌstˌwɜːðɪ /

adjective

  1. worthy of being trusted; honest, reliable, or dependable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See reliable.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of trustworthy

First recorded in 1800–10; trust + worthy

Explanation

Trustworthy describes something you can believe in — it's completely reliable. Your favorite newspaper can be trustworthy — they always print the truth — and people can be trustworthy too. You only tell your secrets to a trustworthy friend. Breaking apart the word trustworthy gives you a clue to its meaning. It combines the common word trust, which describes something you can rely on, and the word worthy, which describes something that deserves respect. So something — or someone — that's trustworthy deserves your trust. In an election, you'll likely vote for the most trustworthy candidate because you believe she'll keep her promises. If you're trustworthy, that means you're reliable: you do what you say you're going to do.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing trustworthy

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.

See Examples For:

The Chargers’ running back corps, led by Hampton, also features trustworthy options in veterans Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 24, 2026

He has said many of them are focused on view counts and followers instead of offering trustworthy information.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 16, 2026

Many parents are in a conundrum: They need their jobs to pay the bills, but they also need trustworthy childcare; without the latter, they may not be able to work those jobs.

From MarketWatch Aug. 5, 2026

Helton, who has a doctorate in education, said she is highly skilled and trustworthy.

From Salon Jul. 27, 2026

Working as a kind of headhunter, John became the middleman, finding the right skilled, trustworthy crews to do the jobs.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba

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