mistrust
1 of 2noun
mis·trust ˌmis-ˈtrəst 
: a lack of confidence : distrust
mistrustful
ˌmis-ˈtrəst-fəl
adjective mistrustfully
ˌmis-ˈtrəst-fə-lē
adverb mistrustfulness noun
mistrust
2 of 2verb
mistrusted; mistrusting; mistrusts
transitive verb
1
: to have no trust or confidence in : suspect
mistrusted his neighbors
2
: to doubt the truth, validity, or effectiveness of
mistrusted his own judgment
3
: surmise
your mind mistrusted there was something wrong
Robert Frost
Robert Frostintransitive verb
: to be suspicious
Synonyms
Noun
- distrust
- distrustfulness
- doubt
- dubiety
- dubitation [archaic]
- incertitude
- misdoubt
- misgiving
- mistrustfulness
- query
- reservation
- skepticism
- suspicion
- uncertainty
Verb
- distrust
- doubt
- misdoubt
- question
- suspect
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun She has a strong mistrust of politicians. had an unfortunate mistrust of doctors, so her medical condition was allowed to worsen Verb I was starting to mistrust my own judgment. a recluse who mistrusts her neighbors and stays in her house all day
Recent Examples on the Web Ed White, ajc, 12 Aug. 2022 Counseling issues can lead to rumors, misunderstandings, mistrust and even toxic communication within the team. Anton Pavlovsky, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Whitmer has blamed then-President Donald Trump for stoking mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those charged in the plot. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 Yet these faulty assumptions remain the cornerstone of homophobia in modern day medicine and account for much of the mistrust that LGBTQ+ people have toward the health care system. Lala Tanmoy Das And Eric Kutscher, CNN, 6 Aug. 2022 There’s been a narrative throughout the pandemic of Chinese obfuscation making matters worse—fueled by the same political tensions and mistrust that have made the lab leak theory so compelling to some. Wired, 5 Aug. 2022 This story plays into the medical mistrust that abounds in communities of color. Quita Highsmith, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 With mistrust growing between the two countries, analysts said Pelosi’s visit could lead to miscommunication and a military clash that neither side wants. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022 Even if grain ships do get underway, danger, uncertainty and deep mistrust will hang over the effort, and major obstacles to carrying out the agreement remain. New York Times, 29 July 2022 Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 19 Aug. 2022 But while the efforts are gaining traction, barriers to financial literacy still exist, from a lack of generational knowledge to mistrust in financial institutions and short-term thinking around money and finances. Paula Andruss, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 When a movie refuses to vary its pace, the audience subconsciously starts to mistrust the information and the exertions on the screen. Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 6 Apr. 2022 That brand of asymmetry helps explain why many people mistrust CNN. Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2021 But as soon as scientific truth becomes inherently associated with one political creed, people who have conflicting political sympathies will be predisposed to mistrust it. Holly Thomas, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 Most Americans already mistrust the press, and making journalists more dependent on government will compound the suspicion of bias. James Freeman, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2021 That experience cemented his credibility with many older voters of color, some of whom mistrust the police while also worrying about crime. New York Times, 2 Nov. 2021 At one end are environmentalists who deeply mistrust big utilities and think regular people have a right to generate their own power. Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2021 See More
Noun
Whitmer has blamed then-President Donald Trump for stoking mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those charged in the plot. Ed White, ajc, 12 Aug. 2022 Counseling issues can lead to rumors, misunderstandings, mistrust and even toxic communication within the team. Anton Pavlovsky, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Whitmer has blamed then-President Donald Trump for stoking mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those charged in the plot. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 Yet these faulty assumptions remain the cornerstone of homophobia in modern day medicine and account for much of the mistrust that LGBTQ+ people have toward the health care system. Lala Tanmoy Das And Eric Kutscher, CNN, 6 Aug. 2022 There’s been a narrative throughout the pandemic of Chinese obfuscation making matters worse—fueled by the same political tensions and mistrust that have made the lab leak theory so compelling to some. Wired, 5 Aug. 2022 This story plays into the medical mistrust that abounds in communities of color. Quita Highsmith, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 With mistrust growing between the two countries, analysts said Pelosi’s visit could lead to miscommunication and a military clash that neither side wants. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022 Even if grain ships do get underway, danger, uncertainty and deep mistrust will hang over the effort, and major obstacles to carrying out the agreement remain. New York Times, 29 July 2022 Verb
Bini previously blocked Ari's phone number and led to mistrust in their relationship. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 19 Aug. 2022 But while the efforts are gaining traction, barriers to financial literacy still exist, from a lack of generational knowledge to mistrust in financial institutions and short-term thinking around money and finances. Paula Andruss, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 When a movie refuses to vary its pace, the audience subconsciously starts to mistrust the information and the exertions on the screen. Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 6 Apr. 2022 That brand of asymmetry helps explain why many people mistrust CNN. Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2021 But as soon as scientific truth becomes inherently associated with one political creed, people who have conflicting political sympathies will be predisposed to mistrust it. Holly Thomas, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 Most Americans already mistrust the press, and making journalists more dependent on government will compound the suspicion of bias. James Freeman, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2021 That experience cemented his credibility with many older voters of color, some of whom mistrust the police while also worrying about crime. New York Times, 2 Nov. 2021 At one end are environmentalists who deeply mistrust big utilities and think regular people have a right to generate their own power. Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
mistrust 1 of 2
noun
mis·trust mis-ˈtrəst
: distrust entry 1
mistrust
2 of 2verb
mistrusted; mistrusting
1
: distrust entry 2, suspect
2
: to lack confidence in
They mistrust your abilities.
mistrust 1 of 2
noun
as in skepticism
a feeling or attitude that one does not know the truth, truthfulness, or trustworthiness of someone or something had an unfortunate mistrust of doctors, so her medical condition was allowed to worsen Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- skepticism
- doubt
- suspicion
- distrust
- uncertainty
- disbelief
- concern
- distrustfulness
- reservation
- incertitude
- dubiety
- misdoubt
- paranoia
- mistrustfulness
- dubitation
- incredulity
- query
- misgiving
- wariness
- unbelief
- anxiety
- qualm
- compunction
- tremor
- scruple
- niggle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- trust
- belief
- confidence
- conviction
- certainty
- assurance
- faith
- surety
- certitude
- sureness
- credence
mistrust
2 of 2verb
as in to doubt
to have no trust or confidence in a recluse who mistrusts her neighbors and stays in her house all day Synonyms & Similar Words
- doubt
- distrust
- question
- suspect
- misdoubt
- disbelieve
- discount
- discredit
- negate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- trust
- depend (on or upon)
- rely (on or upon)
- count (on or upon)
- bank (on or upon)
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of mistrust are doubt, dubiety, skepticism, suspicion, and uncertainty. While all these words mean "lack of sureness about someone or something," mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.
had a great mistrust of doctors
While the synonyms doubt and mistrust are close in meaning, doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.
plagued by doubts as to what to do
The synonyms dubiety and mistrust are sometimes interchangeable, but dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.
felt some dubiety about its practicality
The meanings of skepticism and mistrust largely overlap; however, skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.
an economic forecast greeted with skepticism
While in some cases nearly identical to mistrust, suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.
regarded the stranger with suspicion
In some situations, the words uncertainty and mistrust are roughly equivalent. However, uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.
assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty