mistrust

1 of 2

noun

mis·​trust ˌmis-ˈtrəst 

: a lack of confidence : distrust

a mistrust in politicians

mistrustful

ˌmis-ˈtrəst-fəl 

adjective

mistrustfully

ˌmis-ˈtrəst-fə-lē 

adverb

mistrustfulness noun

mistrust

2 of 2

verb

mistrusted; mistrusting; mistrusts

transitive verb

1

: to have no trust or confidence in : suspect

mistrusted his neighbors

2

: to doubt the truth, validity, or effectiveness of

mistrusted his own judgment

3

: surmise

Your mind mistrusted there was something wrong …

—Robert Frost

intransitive verb

: to be suspicious

Synonyms of mistrust

Noun

• doubt
• skepticism
• suspicion
• distrust
• uncertainty

Verb

• doubt

Choose the Right Synonym for mistrust

uncertainty, doubt, dubiety, skepticism, suspicion, mistrust mean lack of sureness about someone or something.

uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

Examples of mistrust in a Sentence

Noun

She has a strong mistrust of politicians.

had an unfortunate mistrust of doctors, so her medical condition was allowed to worsen

Verb

I was starting to mistrust my own judgment.

a recluse who mistrusts her neighbors and stays in her house all day

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aid organizations have said that community mistrust, insecurity due to armed conflict, and gaps in healthcare have hindered response and containment efforts. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 July 2026

Chipotle Mexican Grill executives said consumers' mistrust of chains serving fresh lettuce weighed on sales in the second half of July. — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 30 July 2026

Verb

Political and public discourse shifted from enthusiasm to mistrust. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026

The one exception is big softie Pantelis (Herodotos Miltiadous), a co-worker who some viewers, used to films in which bad things inevitably happen, might immediately mistrust as too good to be true. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for mistrust

• adjust
• combust
• discussed
• disgust
• distrust
• entrust
• intrust
• nonplussed
• robust
• sawdust
• stardust
• unjust

Kids Definition

mistrust

1 of 2 noun

mis·​trust (ˈ)mis-ˈtrəst 

: distrust entry 2

mistrustful

-fəl 

adjective

mistrustfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

mistrustfulness noun

mistrust

2 of 2 verb

: distrust entry 1