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distrustfulness

distrustfulness

7.5
A feeling of not trusting other people
  • noun
  • /dɪsˈtrʌstfəl.nəs/
translation icon : desconfianza
  • The team's distrustfulness of new members slowed down their progress.

Examples

  • His constant distrustfulness is a barrier to building strong relationships.

  • 2: a tendency on the part of an individual or group toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others

    Blog text (21)
  • Her distrustfulness made it hard for her to form close friendships.

Synonyms

skepticism
vsdistrustfulness
  • US
124 5.1

A feeling of doubt about an idea or claim when there is not enough proof

targets unwillingness to trust people rather than questioning ideas or claims
cynicism
vsdistrustfulness
83 7.2

A general belief that people act mainly to help themselves

is similar but does not require a belief that everyone acts from self-interest
suspicion
vsdistrustfulness
77 3.1

A general feeling that other people cannot be trusted

is the general state of being unwilling to trust rather than a single doubt
distrust
vsdistrustfulness
58 3.5

A feeling that someone or something cannot be relied on

is about a steady unwillingness to trust others rather than a single lack
little faith
vsdistrustfulness
37 6.4

A feeling of not trusting people or plans much

stresses a persistent refusal to accept others as trustworthy rather than low confidence
mistrust
vsdistrustfulness
34 4.0

A feeling of not trusting someone or something

focuses more on the ongoing state of unwillingness toward others
suspiciousness
vsdistrustfulness
1 5.4

A habit of not trusting other people's motives

is broader, covering general unwillingness to trust not only motives
dubiousness
vsdistrustfulness
1 7.8

A feeling of doubt or not trusting something

focuses specifically on reluctance to trust other people rather than general doubt
misdoubt
vsdistrustfulness
  • Archaic
9.9

A feeling that someone or something cannot be trusted

is the modern general state of unwillingness to trust others
undercurrent of mistrust
vsdistrustfulness
8.0

A hidden feeling that people doubt each other in a group

is the general personal unwillingness to trust rather than a group undercurrent
leeriness
vsdistrustfulness
7.9

A feeling of being careful and suspicious about people or things that may be unsafe

is a broader unwillingness to trust others, not only a safety caution

Antonyms

Being ready to believe people are honest or reliable

How Distrustful

distrustfulness
7.5
suspicion
170 3.0
wariness
6 5.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

distrustfulness = distrustful (transparent) = dis + trust + ful + ness

This is a standard noun formation from the adjective 'distrustful' meaning the state or quality of being distrustful.

Etymology

Distrustfulness comes from the prefix dis- meaning 'not' and the base trust meaning 'belief' or 'confidence', the same trust you see in trustworthy. So distrustfulness is the 'state of not trusting' others, or having suspicion.