trustworthy
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See reliable.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trustworthy
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.
Vocabulary lists containing trustworthy
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 7
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"Ode to the Table" by Pablo Neruda
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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.
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
An Annenberg Public Policy Center survey earlier this year found that 54% of Americans have confidence in Fauci to provide trustworthy public-health information.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Helton, who has a doctorate in education, said she is highly skilled and trustworthy.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
The sisters said Long came across trustworthy and later he helped them sell a flat their parents owned with no issues.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Those in-mates were supposedly even more trustworthy than mine, and Konoval was supposedly a supremely experienced officer.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
