trustworthy
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See reliable.
Other Word Forms
- trustworthily adverb
- trustworthiness noun
- untrustworthily adverb
- untrustworthy adjective
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.
Three siblings were given equal shares, but mom established a trust for one sibling who was not trustworthy.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
“Family members or surrounding adults who are supposed to be safe and trustworthy figures are often the ones filming.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
Ms. Hopper’s impressionistic method feeds on her imagination, and through the richness of her responses she brings forth interpretations that are trustworthy precisely because they are so personal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Pavlick leads ARIA, a National Science Foundation AI research institute at Brown focused on building trustworthy AI assistants.
From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026
"We'll find you a place further downtown so that you'll be within easy call . . ." "But I have no money, and she's entirely trustworthy."
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
