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

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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

The pledge from Walmart comes as concerns are mounting from some shoppers, consumer advocates and lawmakers skeptical about the rollout of digital price labels by the discounter and other stores.

— Anne D’Innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Gary Marcus, a cognitive scientist known for his research on the intersection of psychology and AI, is also skeptical that AI agents could paralyze the internet.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

Directed by Li Taige, the film stars Yu Qian as a retiring veteran police officer who discovers suspicious anomalies during an apparently routine theft investigation.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in southwest England on September 27 after police received a report about three suspicious vans heading toward the air base.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of suspicious

Adjective

The problem of longevity possesses philosophical and practical contradictions, now heightened by the gradual disappearance of artists of Serra’s generation and the uncertain posthumous legacy of their work.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
The project faces uncertain costs, a timeline that could push exports beyond 2028 and possible legal challenges.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of uncertain

Adjective

Drug development is highly regulated, and executives have good reasons to be cautious about changing how major decisions are made.

— George Achilleos, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
McNamara also wanted to create a performance-focused, consumer-centric drive in a business that had grown up under the umbrella of a more cautious pharmaceutical company.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of cautious

Adjective

Our ability to win over local constituencies deeply mistrustful of both our products and our leaders is uncertain.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of mistrustful

Adjective

Nick wants to be careful about their firm’s spending, but Serena reminds him that Cathcarts has every resource at its disposal.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
The Iranian regime will need to be careful before launching such an attack, or even before undertaking lesser forms of escalation.

— Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of careful

Browse Nearby Words

distrusted

distrustful

distrustfully

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“Distrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distrustful. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of distrustful

adjective

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