entrust

1 of 2

verb

en·​trust in-ˈtrəst How to pronounce entrust (audio)
en-
variants or less commonly intrust
entrusted also intrusted; entrusting also intrusting; entrusts also intrusts
Synonyms of entrust

transitive verb

1
: to confer a trust on
especially : to deliver something in trust to
2
: to commit to another with confidence
entrustment noun

entrustment

2 of 2

noun

en·​trust·​ment -s(t)mənt How to pronounce entrustment (audio)
plural -s
1
: the act of entrusting or the condition of being entrusted
2
: something with which one is entrusted : trust
encouraged and imparted Christian spiritual entrustmentsTime
Choose the Right Synonym for entrust

commit, entrust, confide, consign, relegate mean to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose.

commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Examples of entrust in a Sentence

Verb She was entrusted with the job of organizing the reception. we entrusted our financial adviser with the investment of all of our savings
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.
Verb
Those donors, the filing argues, entrusted their contributions to support performances, artists, and community programming carried out by the opera over decades. Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2026 Before sentencing, the victim's mother delivered an emotional statement accusing Roberts of preying on a child entrusted to her care. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 The encyclical’s strongest warning is that lethal and irreversible decisions must never be entrusted to artificial systems. Vilas Dhar, Time, 10 June 2026 None of the rockets—Ariane 6, New Glenn, or Vulcan—to which Amazon originally entrusted the bulk of its missions had reached the launch pad when the company announced its massive launch order in 2022. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for entrust

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of entrust was in 1586

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Entrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entrust. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

entrust

verb
en·​trust in-ˈtrəst How to pronounce entrust (audio)
1
: to give into the care of another
entrust your savings to a bank
2
: to give custody, care, or charge of something to
entrust a bank with your savings
entrustment noun

Legal Definition

entrust

transitive verb
en·​trust
variants also intrust
1
: to deliver something to (a person) under a charge or duty
2
: to give (something) over to the care of another
specifically : to deliver to a merchant who may transfer ownership to a buyer in the ordinary course of business
used especially in the Uniform Commercial Code
see also negligent entrustment compare bail, consign
entrustment noun

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