mistrustful

adjective

Definition of mistrustfulnext
1
as in skeptical
inclined to doubt or question claims we were mistrustful of the so-called "miracle cure" for obesity

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 inhabitants of that remote community tend to be mistrustful of outsiders

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 mistrustful 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 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 The idea is to strategically moderate on certain cultural issues in order to become more palatable to mistrustful constituencies. — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 People are mistrustful of government at all levels right now, according to Larson. — R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 Initially mistrustful of each other, the two men bond over Molina's stories about movie star Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) and her starring role in the eponymous film-within-a-film. — Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistrustful
  1. skeptical
  2. unsure
  3. suspicious
  4. uncertain
  5. cautious
  6. distrustful
  7. careful
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
  • Many of Martin’s clients come in feeling anxious about making the leap, unsure whether the look will suit them.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The operator was unsure how to properly wash, rinse and sanitize dishes.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsure
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
  • In the last 25 years, the American electorate has become more polarized, distrustful, and apathetic.
    — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Such military cooperation has alarmed Israel, which is increasingly distrustful of Turkey’s intentions in the region.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of distrustful
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

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mistrustful
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Cite this Entry

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

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