entrust
Americanverb (used with object)
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entrusts,
present (3rd person singular)
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entrusted,
past participle, past
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entrusting
present participle
verb
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(usually foll by with) to invest or charge (with a duty, responsibility, etc)
-
(often foll by to) to put into the care or protection of someone
Usage
It is usually considered incorrect to talk about entrusting someone to do something: the army cannot be trusted (not entrusted ) to carry out orders
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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entrustsimple
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entrustssimple
-
have entrustedperfect
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has entrustedperfect
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am entrustingprogressive
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are entrustingprogressive
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is entrustingprogressive
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have been entrustingperfect progressive
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has been entrustingperfect progressive
Past
-
entrustedsimple
-
had entrustedperfect
-
was entrustingprogressive
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were entrustingprogressive
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had been entrustingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of entrust
Explanation
To entrust is to give someone a responsibility you assume she will fulfill. If you entrust someone with the task of getting you to school on time, make sure she’s punctual. To entrust is to let someone take care of something for you because you believe she will protect it. It could be a duty or a thing — you might entrust a nursing home with the care of your parents or entrust an accountant with your finances. Entrust is a verb that needs an object, so you always entrust with or to something. If a friend entrusts you with a secret, she trusts you not to tell.
Vocabulary lists containing entrust
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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.
See Examples For:
In reliance on that agreement, the parents entrust the surrogate with their embryo, which contains their own genetic material.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Salcido is among a small but growing number of business owners in the US said to be choosing to entrust their ventures to employees, rather than sell to an outside buyer.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Murrin’s case highlights pitfalls that lurk when people entrust someone with their taxes, according to Olson.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026
Major investors and tenants also remain reluctant to entrust multibillion-dollar decisions to unproven platforms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
No one knew of his letter but Robb Stark; they were no fools, to entrust their secrets to a bird.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
It added: "Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding - or demanding - power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it."
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Constitution entrusts Congress with the power to “declare war.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
Simply put, the tax code touches on every aspect of American life, and we need a well-run IRS to ensure that the policies Congress enacts and entrusts to the IRS are properly administered.
From Slate ● Jan. 29, 2025
International protocol entrusts each nation with policing its own athletes, so it was China’s anti-doping agency that initially tested the swimmers, finding evidence of trimetazidine, a medication that increases blood flow to the heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2024
"He entrusts some small matters to us, to lighten his load."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
At 16, I was entrusted with one of the most important pieces of technology at a suburban Chili’s: a wire rack full of restaurant pagers.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
He concluded his Angelus prayer by thanking everyone for their "spiritual closeness" and said he entrusted himself to their prayers.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Marc Henrichmann, chairman of the intelligence oversight committee, said lawmakers would have to “discuss what individuals entrusted with classified information should be allowed to do after their term of office ends.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"The Agency is committed to ensuring that those entrusted with our Nation's secrets are held to the absolute highest standard."
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
After your rite, you’re considered an adult, and you’re entrusted with a lot more responsibility.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Sources told The Sun that the actress wants to keep the gown close by rather than entrusting it to an outside storage company.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Asked about entrusting such a project to Riyadh despite criticism of its human rights record, his office said: "At no point, when we attract a project, do we seek to lecture others."
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
As AI takes over more menial tasks, companies are entrusting interns with bigger responsibilities—from leading projects to business trips abroad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"It's inhumane. We've been entrusting him to the centre," Noorman said.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
I felt really wobbly when he first got going, but as he picks up a good enough speed to throw a breeze our way, I appreciate the control I’m entrusting to him.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
