mistrustful
gb/mɪstɹˈʌstfəl/ us/mɪstɹˈʌstfəl/
B2
English
bizalmatlan
B2
1
bizalmatlan
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is mistrustful
He’s always been mistrustful of people he doesn’t know.
Mindig is bizalmatlan volt az idegenekkel szemben.
After being scammed once, she became more mistrustful and cautious.
Miután egyszer becsapták, bizalmatlanabb és óvatosabb lett.
The child stayed close to his mother, giving the visitors a mistrustful look.
Learner examples
I am mistrustful of strangers.
Bizalmatlan vagyok az idegenekkel szemben.
She is mistrustful because she was hurt before.
Azért bizalmatlan, mert korábban megbántották.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse mistrustful (suspicious) with untrustworthy (not deserving trust).
Meaning
suspicious and slow to trust
Collocations
deeply mistrustful
|naturally mistrustful
|increasingly mistrustful
|mistrustful by nature
|mistrustful attitude
|mistrustful manner
|mistrustful glance
|a mistrustful look
|mistrustful of strangers
|mistrustful of authority
Synonyms
suspicious (More general; can suggest suspicion about specific motives or wrongdoing.)
|
wary (Emphasizes caution and carefulness rather than outright suspicion.)
|
distrustful (Very close in meaning; often interchangeable in modern English.)
Antonyms
trusting (Readily believes others and gives trust easily.)
|
confident (Shows assurance rather than doubt about people’s intentions.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|social
Definition
If you are mistrustful, you do not trust people easily.
Not willing to trust people easily; suspicious that others may be dishonest or have bad intentions.
B2
2
bizalmatlan
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is mistrustful of [someone/something]
Many residents are mistrustful of the company’s claims about safety.
Sok lakos bizalmatlan a cég biztonságról szóló állításaival szemben.
He was mistrustful of her sudden friendliness and kept his distance.
Bizalmatlan volt a nő hirtelen barátságosságával szemben, és távolságot tartott.
Investors are mistrustful of the numbers after the audit revealed errors.
Learner examples
I am mistrustful of that website.
Bizalmatlan vagyok azzal a weboldallal szemben.
They are mistrustful of his promises.
Bizalmatlanok az ígéreteivel szemben.
Common mistake:
Don’t use mistrustful to mean “not trusted by others”; that meaning is untrusted or distrusted.
Meaning
doubting a particular person or thing
Collocations
mistrustful of the government
|mistrustful of politicians
|mistrustful of the media
|mistrustful of the police
|mistrustful of new technology
|mistrustful of his motives
|mistrustful of her intentions
|mistrustful of the plan
|mistrustful of promises
|mistrustful of official explanations
Synonyms
skeptical (Focuses on doubt and questioning rather than fear of bad intentions.)
|
doubtful (More about uncertainty; can be less personal than mistrustful.)
|
cynical (Suggests a belief that people are mostly selfish; stronger and more negative.)
Antonyms
trustful (Willing to trust, especially toward a specific person or idea.)
|
reassured (No longer doubtful after receiving evidence or comfort.)
Themes
business
|politics
|daily_life
|technology
|emotions
Definition
If you are mistrustful of something, you do not believe it is safe, honest, or reliable.
Not trusting a particular person, organization, plan, or idea; doubtful about its reliability or honesty.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mistrustful
IPA
GB/mɪstɹˈʌstfəl/
US/mɪstɹˈʌstfəl/
Syllables & stress
mis - trust - ful (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (trust)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mistrustful
Word family
Core family
mistrust
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
mistrustfully
adverb
trustworthiness
noun
Expressions
be mistrustful of
1/bˈi mɪstɹˈʌstfəl əv/
fixed phrase
not trust someone or something
To not trust someone or something.
Examples
- She’s mistrustful of anyone who asks personal questions right away.
- People became mistrustful of the app after the data leak.
- He grew mistrustful of their advice when it kept changing.
Learner examples
- I am mistrustful of strangers online.
- He is mistrustful of that plan.