distrust

1 of 2

noun

dis·​trust (ˌ)dis-ˈtrəst How to pronounce distrust (audio)
: the lack or absence of trust

distrust

2 of 2

verb

distrusted; distrusting; distrusts

transitive verb

: to have no trust or confidence in

Examples of distrust in a Sentence

Noun He has a distrust of doctors. the psychic's bold claims were greeted with distrust and outright scorn Verb She's always distrusted their promises. we instinctively distrust those phone calls that tell us we have won a free vacation or car
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Schmidt said growing divisions and distrust in institutions, including religious institutions, is part of the problem. Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 However, because so many people get their information second-hand from social media apps, misinformation and distrust have also spread far and wide. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 Advocates say attracting the next generation of law enforcement requires addressing historic distrust and discrimination by demonstrating that departments have made major changes in their culture, not just offering big bonuses or slashing requirements. USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 All this might seem silly, but the mob-like mentality regarding Middleton’s whereabouts speaks to a wider disconnect and distrust between the royals and their subjects. Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Chick thinks that few people in the village are aware of what happened and that confusing messages from the EPA have probably fueled division and distrust in the community. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 That is a growing challenge in our digital world where both the means and content of communications can create panic and distrust. Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Language and education barriers, cultural differences and distrust of the health care system make advance care directives and hospice care less accessible for some. Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 The document, which is months old but recently was leaked to news outlets, only added to the long-standing tensions between LAHSA, which receives city funding, and some on the council who have voiced distrust in the agency and its handling of data. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
The authority is widely distrusted by most Palestinians and seen as corrupt by foes and some friends alike. Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024 Lynch’s is arguably more faithful to the word, despite ignoring the author’s central theme of distrusting charismatic leaders. Max Evry, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 Employees reported that the turbulence left the toll of feeling stressed, anxious, burned out and distrusting of their employers. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 In his sometimes raw testimony, Harry said the stream of negative stories about him and members of his family had led him to distrust even his closest friends. Mark Landler, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 If the first-order worry is that people will get duped, the second-order worry is that the fear of deepfakes will lead people to distrust everything. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2024 My comment of distrusting TJ was way before the bridge. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 7 Dec. 2023 In the United States, many of the narratives spread by Russia, for instance, are eagerly adopted by domestic groups that distrust the government. David Klepper and Huizhong Wu, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024 This suggests that cries of fake polling can be self-fulfilling, insofar as those who distrust pollsters are less likely to participate in polls. Dan Rockmore, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'distrust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1513, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distrust was in 1513

Dictionary Entries Near distrust

Cite this Entry

“Distrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distrust. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

distrust

1 of 2 verb
dis·​trust (ˈ)dis-ˈtrəst How to pronounce distrust (audio)
: to have no trust or confidence in

distrust

2 of 2 noun
: a lack of trust or confidence
distrustful
-fəl
adjective
distrustfully
-fə-lē
adverb
distrustfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on distrust

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