MISTRUSTFUL Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

mistrustful

adjective

Definition of mistrustful

as in skeptical

inclined to doubt or question claims we were mistrustful of the so-called "miracle cure" for obesity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unsure

not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something inhabitants of that remote community tend to be mistrustful of outsiders

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of mistrustful The Social Democrats, led by Kurt Schumacher, a prickly figure who had suffered horribly for resisting the Nazis, were mistrustful of the United States and hoped to reunify Germany as a neutral state at the center of Europe. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Once a lawyerly panel, a takeover by a trio of conservatives deeply mistrustful of the state’s voting system has turned the board’s once mundane meetings into boisterous events packed with crowds of cheering and jeering activists. — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The idea is to strategically moderate on certain cultural issues in order to become more palatable to mistrustful constituencies. — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 People are mistrustful of government at all levels right now, according to Larson. — R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 Initially mistrustful of each other, the two men bond over Molina's stories about movie star Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) and her starring role in the eponymous film-within-a-film. — Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistrustful

Adjective

The tie-up should help some skeptical investors grow more confident that Salesforce — thanks to troves of proprietary customer data housed within its applications — has a role to play in this new AI world.

— Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Price likened his attraction to the format to his early embrace of streaming entertainment back in the days when Hollywood remained skeptical of its staying power.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

Victims’ families and experts are unsure the higher amounts will be enough to get tipsters to come forward, citing people's fears and distrust of the federal government.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Victims’ families and experts are unsure the higher amounts will be enough to get tipsters to come forward, citing people’s fears and distrust of the federal government.

— Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsure

Adjective

Luke Halls’ video and projections add another layer of visual unease, allowing screens and technology inside the home to become as suspicious as its shadowy corners.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
As Joan Acocella wrote for this magazine, in 2008, a suspicious number of cures happen to include alcohol as a main ingredient.

— Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of suspicious

Adjective

What remains uncertain is how damaging the resolution will be—and for whom.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
When markets are uncertain about how central bankers will respond to incoming data, speculation can fill the void, according to a Barclays report last month.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of uncertain

Adjective

Florida’s Republican gubernatorial ticket is defying historic trends for a political party traditionally known for elevating white men to leadership positions — even as the GOP remains cautious about drawing attention to the shift.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Bindi, a young female wallaby, is inquisitive and extremely curious, while Wally, a young male wallaby, is more cautious and likes to look at things from afar, Borozenets said.

— Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cautious

Adjective

When the community is hostile toward or distrustful of a particular minority group, police may feel that discriminatory behavior toward that group is justified.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
This move was unfavored by local violence prevention activists who said that the relationship with law enforcement could undermine their efforts to reach at-risk teens who are distrustful of police.

— Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of distrustful

Adjective

Apply the serum directly to sparse areas of your brows, being careful to avoid letting the product touch other areas of your skin.

— Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
According to the researchers, careful process design and optimization as well as architecture simplification could help in solving most of these issues, something that industrial production focuses on much more than academic researchers.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of careful

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mistrustful

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“Mistrustful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistrustful. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of mistrustful

adjective

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