DISTRUSTFUL Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

distrustful

adjective

(ˌ)dis-ˈtrəs(t)-fəl

Definition of distrustful

as in skeptical

inclined to doubt or question claims she was distrustful of her boyfriend's claim of having saved the kitten from a raging fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unsure

not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something naturally distrustful of politicians who claim to have all the answers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of distrustful The 72-year-old’s popularity boomed during the pandemic, when his insistence that COVID vaccines were dangerous and his opposition to lockdown restrictions attracted many Americans distrustful of government policy. — CNN Money, 16 July 2026 Fearful of invading marauders, humankind has turned distrustful and stingy, ignoring Zeus’ command to show generosity toward the poor and foreign-born, a cornerstone of faith that would later be repurposed in the New Testament. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 The monthslong investigation into Guthrie's abduction that has provided little answers and the arrests of the YouTubers have left the streamers and their followers distrustful of law enforcement and the press. — Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2026 Rob-Will has the support of his adoring wildchild daughter, Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), but not of openly distrustful Rip, who gave the gun-toting Rob-Will that punch felt around the Dutton universe in their gas station first meeting. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for distrustful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distrustful

Adjective

Be skeptical of guarantees that depend on platforms the firm does not control.

— Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Unlike Portugal, and to a lesser extent British Columbia, Oregon also failed to secure buy-in from law enforcement, leaving many officers opposed to the policy and skeptical of their role in implementing it.

— Karyn Sporer, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

Researchers are also still unsure which spacecraft burn up completely and how many fragments may reach the ground, putting lives and property at risk.

— Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Police and lifeguards were unsure as to the most recent jumping fatality, with one official pointing to the 2019 death of 15-year-old Anthony Womack, a National City resident.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsure

Adjective

Kanarek also called 911, to report a suspicious vehicle and a possibly threatening conversation recorded by the device in her locker.

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
But Mark, in Ronson’s telling, quickly grows antagonistic, abruptly asking Ronson to sign an NDA, then later barraging him with suspicious texts and threatening him with a pair of goons.

— Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of suspicious

Adjective

That separation helps explain how uncertain the market remains — even to veteran coaches.

— Manny Navarro, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
But take the owner out of the equation, and the loyal customers stop coming, while the accounts become uncertain overnight.

— Jason Sisneros, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of uncertain

Adjective

The Social Democrats, led by Kurt Schumacher, a prickly figure who had suffered horribly for resisting the Nazis, were mistrustful of the United States and hoped to reunify Germany as a neutral state at the center of Europe.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Once a lawyerly panel, a takeover by a trio of conservatives deeply mistrustful of the state’s voting system has turned the board’s once mundane meetings into boisterous events packed with crowds of cheering and jeering activists.

— Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of mistrustful

Browse Nearby Words

distrusted

distrustful

distrustfully

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distrustful. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distrustful

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

aggrandize

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes