distrust

1 of 2

noun

dis·​trust (ˌ)dis-ˈtrəst How to pronounce distrust (audio)
: the lack or absence of trust

distrust

2 of 2

verb

distrusted; distrusting; distrusts

transitive verb

: to have no trust or confidence in

Examples of distrust in a Sentence

Noun He has a distrust of doctors. the psychic's bold claims were greeted with distrust and outright scorn Verb She's always distrusted their promises. we instinctively distrust those phone calls that tell us we have won a free vacation or car
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Fuels Media Illiteracy And Distrust AI’s mass content output is fueling media illiteracy and public distrust, blurring the line between fact and fabrication. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 And most of the angst can be traced to a deep distrust of the committee. Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 20 June 2025
Verb
Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran disintegrated, and the two countries have held strained, distrusting relations over the past four-decades. Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025 That might foster the adoption of more competitive, distrusting, and normless beliefs, and result in a higher D. People in Mexico and Indonesia, and US states like Nevada and Louisiana – which had reported higher levels of all four ASCs – had higher D scores. Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for distrust

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1513, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distrust was in 1513

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distrust. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

distrust

1 of 2 verb
dis·​trust (ˈ)dis-ˈtrəst How to pronounce distrust (audio)
: to have no trust or confidence in

distrust

2 of 2 noun
: a lack of trust or confidence
distrustful
-fəl
adjective
distrustfully
-fə-lē
adverb
distrustfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on distrust

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!