What does "mistrust" mean?
Lack of trust or confidence; distrust, untrust.
Mistrust
/mɪsˈtɹʌst/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Lack of trust or confidence; distrust, untrust.
- Grammar: mistrust is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: distrust, distrust, suspicion, anxiety.
- Useful contrasts: strong rapport, accept, believe.
- Usage evidence: It is more ignominious to mistrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
How to use "mistrust"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mistrust" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mistrust" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mistrust" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mistrust" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mistrust" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "distrust" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mistrust", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Lack of trust or confidence; distrust, untrust. uncountable, usually
- 2 the trait of not trusting others wordnet
- 3 doubt about someone's honesty wordnet
Verb
- 1 To have no confidence in (something or someone). transitive
"The Britans marching out againſt them, and miſtruſting thir own power, ſend to Germanus and his Collegue, repoſing more in the ſpiritual ſtrength of thoſe two men, than in thir own thouſands arm’d."
- 2 regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in wordnet
- 3 To be wary, suspicious or doubtful of (something or someone). transitive
"It is most strange to report what outragious acts […] haue beene committed […] by women especially, that will runne after their husbands into all places, all companies, as Iouianus Pontanus wife did by him, follow him whether soeuer hee goes, it matters not, or vpon what businesse, rauing […] , cursing, swearing, and mistrusting euery one she sees."
- 4 To suspect, to imagine or suppose (something) to be the case. transitive
"[…] I propheſie, that many a thouſand, Which now miſtruſt no parcell of my feare, And many an old mans ſighe, and many a Widdowes, And many an Orphans water-ſtanding-eye, Men for their Sonnes, Wiues for their Husbands, Orphans, for their Parents timeles death, Shall rue the houre that euer thou was’t borne."
- 5 To be suspicious. intransitive
"She wuz soft in her complexion, her lips, her cheeks, her hands, and as I mistrusted at that first minute, and found out afterwards, soft in her head too."
Antonyms
Example
"It is more ignominious to mistrust our friends than to be deceived by them."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mistrust"?
Common synonyms include: distrust, distrust, suspicion, anxiety, apprehension, apprehensiveness.
How do you use "mistrust" in a sentence?
It is more ignominious to mistrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
How do you pronounce "mistrust"?
Pronounced /mɪsˈtɹʌst/.
Etymology
From Middle English mistrust; equivalent to mis- + trust.