Distrust

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /dɪsˈtɹʌst/

Definitions

1. A feeling of doubt or lack of confidence in someone or something's reliability, honesty, or good intentions
2. A lack of trust in the reliability or integrity of a person or system can lead to suspicion and skepticism about their motives or actions
3. The absence of confidence in someone's truthfulness or dependability often manifests as wariness and hesitation in interactions

Etymology: "Distrust" is a plain compound: the prefix "dis-", meaning "apart" or "reversing", attached to "trust". The "dis-" prefix came into English from Latin through French and was productive from the late medieval period onward, which is why it can be stuck onto so many native words to reverse their sense. The surprise is that "distrust" was not always the form. Its earlier version was "wantrust", built on "want" in its old sense of "lack" or "absence", so the word first meant a lack of trust. Over time "wantrust" was reshaped into "distrust", which matched the prefix pattern of words like "dislike" and "disbelief". The sense of the word has stayed close to its original idea: a withholding of confidence in someone or something.

Synonyms: mistrust, suspicion, doubt, skepticism, incredulity

Antonyms: trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credibility