MISTRUSTFUL Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

mistrustful

adjective

Definition of mistrustful

as in skeptical

inclined to doubt or question claims we were mistrustful of the so-called "miracle cure" for obesity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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 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

Adjective

Deeply skeptical of his diplomatic attempts with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could view the president’s comments as an opening to continue operations both in Lebanon, against Hezbollah, or in Iran itself.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
As recently as last year, the bank’s executives were skeptical that ventures known for such voracious capital spending would be able to sustain their business models.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

Essentially, markets believe that interest rates will rise in 2026 but are unsure of both the magnitude and timing.

— Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Engineers are unsure of the condition of Swift’s thermal insulation, and ground controllers will take a cautious approach to determining where and when Link’s robotic arms can capture the satellite.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026

Definition of unsure

Adjective

Nile finds himself in a cat-and-mouse dynamic with his new neighbor (Claire Danes), an author in search of her next book subject who is suspicious of his innocence.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
But by playing coy about next steps, Hamas has given observers and critics plenty of reasons to be suspicious about this latest development.

— Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 8 July 2026

Definition of suspicious

Adjective

Supporters suggest these approaches could offer alternative financing structures, while critics note that long-term performance and adoption remain uncertain.

— Jason Phillips, USA Today, 10 July 2026
The more proactive, in contrast, would try to steer government R&D toward promising but uncertain conservation experiments.

— Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026

Definition of uncertain

Adjective

Teams are generally more cautious about cooling the legs, however, because cold applied directly to working muscles immediately before a match can temporarily blunt explosive actions such as sprinting.

— Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Legal experts said the slow pace reflects a cautious approach by Graf and the large volume of evidence.

— Hannah Schoenbaum, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

Definition of cautious

Adjective

The problem was that voters seemed to shrug at the revelation, perhaps even then distrustful of politicians in general.

— Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 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

Definition of distrustful

Adjective

When an accident brings the enigmatic Gaia into their lives, unexpected desires begin to take shape, unsettling the careful balance that has long defined their relationship.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 July 2026
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of careful

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mistrusted

mistrustful

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“Mistrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistrustful. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mistrustful

adjective

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