mistrust
She has a deep mistrust of authority figures.
She strongly distrusts people in positions of power.
doubt about someone's honesty or reliability
His mistrust of the government grew after the scandal.
He became increasingly skeptical of the government due to the scandal.
Often implies a general or habitual attitude rather than a one-time doubt.
to have no confidence or belief in someone or something
The employees mistrusted the new manager's promises.
The employees doubted the new manager's promises.
Used as a verb, it describes the act of not trusting.
Collocations
Synonyms
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Distinguish from 'distrust'
'Mistrust' often describes a general attitude or feeling, while 'distrust' is more specific and can imply a reason for the lack of trust. For example, 'She has a deep mistrust of strangers' suggests a broad attitude, whereas 'She distrusts strangers who ask for personal information' implies a specific reason.
Gold Rule
Use 'mistrust' for general attitudes
Use 'mistrust' when describing a person's overall tendency to doubt others, especially in a habitual or ingrained way.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'mistrusten', from 'mis-' (indicating negation or reversal) + 'trust' (from Old Norse 'traust', meaning 'trust').
Usage Notes
Mistrust is often used interchangeably with 'distrust,' but 'mistrust' can imply a more general or habitual lack of trust, while 'distrust' may suggest a specific instance or reason for doubt.