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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

Derived 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.

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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.

Best suited for: Users who value privacy and those seeking a trustworthy, no-cost VPN.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026

Human-like machines may appear familiar and trustworthy as their civilian use grows, increasing the risk people misread danger.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

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

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 glanced over at Michael, who was trying his best to look trustworthy, before turning back to Myers.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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