trustworthy
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See reliable.
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
While the trimmed mean usually sends a reliable signal about where overall inflation will trend, Logan said it’s not as trustworthy at the moment.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
When we evaluated the best options for 2026, we looked at what really matters: strong security features, trustworthy privacy policies, realistic data allowances, decent speeds, user-friendly apps and transparent business practices.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
It interrogated the criteria of credibility themselves—what makes a teaching trustworthy, what makes a source authoritative, what distinguishes faithful transmission from motivated distortion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Here’s what we discovered: First, prosecutors did something called “vouching,” assuring grand jurors that they are trustworthy and would never bring an unjust case, so the charges must be sound.
From Slate • May 22, 2026
I was the least trustworthy person he had ever met.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
