mistrust

/ˈmɪsˌtrʌst/

/mɪsˈtrʌst/

Other forms: mistrusted; mistrusting; mistrusts

To mistrust is to feel uneasy about someone or something. If you mistrust bus drivers, you may decide to walk instead.

Are you suspicious of clowns in general? Then you mistrust them. This verb has a very similar meaning to distrust — as nouns, both words mean "a lack of trust." A subtle difference between the two is that distrust tends to be based on a bad experience (if a clown once pinched you, you will probably always distrust that clown). Mistrust, on the other hand, is a more general sense of suspicion.

Definitions of mistrust

1. verb

   regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in
   synonyms: disbelieve, distrust, suspect

   antonyms:

   trust

   have confidence or faith in

   types:

   doubt

   lack confidence in or have doubts about

   type of:

   disbelieve, discredit

   reject as false; refuse to accept
2. noun

   the trait of not trusting others
   synonyms: distrust, distrustfulness

   types:

   suspicion, suspiciousness

   being of a suspicious nature

   type of:

   trait

   a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
3. noun

   doubt about someone's honesty
   synonyms: distrust, misgiving, suspicion

   type of:

   doubt, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, incertitude, uncertainty

   the state of being unsure of something