I. (ˈ)mi|strəst noun
Etymology: Middle English, from mis- (I) + trust, n.
: a lack of confidence : distrust , suspicion
a certain unbreakable core of mistrust , suspicion, and disbelief — A.R.Marcus
realize how weak the love of truth is in the majority and how widespread the mistrust of reason — W.R.Inge
Synonyms: see uncertainty
II. verb
Etymology: Middle English mistrusten, from mis- (I) + trusten to trust — more at trust
transitive verb
1. : to regard with suspicion : have no trust or confidence in : suspect
mistrust me and are forever questioning me about my personal life — Isaac Rosenfeld
she feared an argument; she mistrusted herself — Arnold Bennett
2. : to have doubts about the truth, validity, or effectiveness of
calculated to make the weak-willed reader mistrust his own judgment — B.R.Redman
who mistrust the investment of United States money, technical and military aid — Adrienne Koch
3. : to have a foreboding of the existence or occurrence of : feel or believe to be likely : surmise — often used with noun clause as object
your mind mistrusted there was something wrong — Robert Frost
intransitive verb
: to lack confidence : be suspicious
a place so wild that a man less accustomed to these things might have mistrusted and feared for his life — Willa Cather
• mis·trust·er -tə(r) noun