distrustful

adjective

dis·​trust·​ful (ˌ)dis-ˈtrəs(t)-fəl How to pronounce distrustful (audio)
: having or showing distrust
distrustfully adverb
distrustfulness noun

Example Sentences

she was distrustful of her boyfriend's claim of having saved the kitten from a raging fire naturally distrustful of politicians who claim to have all the answers
Recent Examples on the Web Big John’s equally distrustful of Sarah on account of her surname, but frankly BJ hasn’t shown himself to be the most reliable co-conspirator either, so let’s first address the plank in our own eye, Johnny. Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 25 Feb. 2023 Initially distrustful of this newcomer, Bill reluctantly offers Frank shelter and a meal. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 30 Jan. 2023 Weinberger, an architect of the military buildup and strategy of confrontation during Reagan’s first term, remained intransigent and distrustful of the Kremlin. David E. Hoffman, Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2023 Mark Weaver, a Republican strategist, said Republican voters, right or wrong, have become distrustful of early voting. Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 22 Oct. 2022 Counterfeit mummies flooded the market, and practitioners became distrustful. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 26 July 2022 But Big John, distrustful of both Sarah and his son, keeps the last bit of the riddle to himself, further complicating matters when Singh and Ward show up with guns. Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 25 Feb. 2023 Yang began to understand why her mother was so deeply distrustful of the South and was instead drawn to the North. Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2023 As the trailer previews, Blue seemingly has a baby, but when it’s kidnapped by humans, Blue grows distrustful and turns on Grady, who sets out to get the baby raptor back and restore his connection with Blue. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'distrustful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distrustful was in 1589

Dictionary Entries Near distrustful

Cite this Entry

“Distrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distrustful. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

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