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
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.
Noun
America’s war in Iraq, in addition to killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and destabilizing the Middle East, also set the stage for Trump’s rise by fostering a widespread sense of distrust and betrayal in the United States. Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025 Although Vincent resigned before labor unrest precipitated the unprecedented cancellation of the 1994 World Series, an undercurrent of distrust among baseball's 27 owners ultimately led to a no-confidence vote of the commissioner in Sept. 1992. David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Verb
Kennedy holds an almost biblical status among his supporters, and a significant portion of those people distrust federal health agencies. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025 For one thing, multiple sources interviewed pointed out, the Founding Fathers distrusted political parties. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for distrust 

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 21 Feb. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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