1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of distrustful
Markel became increasingly distrustful of Donna Adelson due to her desire to move the children away from him, even filing a motion to prevent her from having unsupervised visits with the children in 2014.
—
Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The characters were distrustful of each other (because anybody could be the killer), and one of Warren’s favorite memories is the scene with her and Mull tussling to get out of a tight bar space at the same time.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
In its wake, Diana was stripped of many royal privileges and grew distrustful of those closest to her, including her private secretary, Patrick Jephson.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Nov. 2025
People are emotionally dysregulated, distrustful, and disconnected.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distrustful
Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The characters were distrustful of each other (because anybody could be the killer), and one of Warren’s favorite memories is the scene with her and Mull tussling to get out of a tight bar space at the same time.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
In its wake, Diana was stripped of many royal privileges and grew distrustful of those closest to her, including her private secretary, Patrick Jephson.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Nov. 2025
People are emotionally dysregulated, distrustful, and disconnected.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distrustful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distrustful
Adjective
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Scheiber is skeptical of forecasts projecting mass white-collar displacement in 18 months.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
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Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire, but Ukraine remains skeptical after previous attempts to broker lasting truces have repeatedly failed with both sides trading accusations.—
Volodymyr Yurchuk,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Mamdani's approval rating A Marist Poll published Wednesday revealed 48% of NYC residents think Mayor Mamdani is doing a good job so far, 30% disapprove of his performance, while 23% are unsure how to rate him.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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In Mexico the loss of territory discredited the country’s conservative government and left many of its citizens unsure of their country’s future as an independent state.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Finding the behavior suspicious, police said the officers activated their overhead lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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Never click on suspicious links Some scams prompt you to click on a link that takes you to a fake website to gather your personal information or unintentionally download malware onto your computer.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That puts them at the forefront of an asset class that is looking uncertain, although their overall exposure is still relatively small compared to their vast holdings.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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Law enforcement officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in uncertain circumstances.—
Jim Cook,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Ebus added that interest in Venezuela is already dividing potential investors, with smaller risk-taking firms eager to enter while major companies remain cautious.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul strains to show that the Gentile mission and the Jerusalem mission, though carried out by mutually mistrustful parties, belong to a single divine design.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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People are mistrustful of government at all levels right now, according to Larson.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This requires careful monitoring of key parameters such as sugar and acidity from veraison through to harvest.—
Maureen Mackey , Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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Somewhere within him is the spirit of the patriotic teenager and the careful lower-court judge who rejected any notion of party loyalty or judicial agenda.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distrustful. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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