distrustful

adjective

dis·​trust·​ful (ˌ)dis-ˈtrəs(t)-fəl How to pronounce distrustful (audio)
: having or showing distrust
distrustfully adverb
distrustfulness noun

Examples of distrustful in a Sentence

she was distrustful of her boyfriend's claim of having saved the kitten from a raging fire naturally distrustful of politicians who claim to have all the answers
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.
Reshaping the space agency Long considered one of the best places to work in the federal government, NASA is already in the midst of changes that have angered some high-ranking staff and left them feeling distrustful of current leadership. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025 Many Israelis and American Jews, distrustful of Carter because of his long criticism of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, don’t acknowledge how much the durable Camp David Accords did to secure the Jewish State. Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024 After Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the American public has become even more distrustful of the Russian autocrat. Michael McFaul, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2025 But now, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of Americans are distrustful when authorities go against something seemingly intuitive — like the idea that ingesting low levels of herbicides and heavy metals over your lifetime will be bad for your health. Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distrustful

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distrustful was in 1589

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Cite this Entry

“Distrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distrustful. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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