Basic Details
Word: Mistrust
Part of Speech: Noun / Verb
Meaning: A feeling of doubt about someone or something; not believing in reliability or honesty.
Synonyms: Distrust, suspicion, scepticism
Antonyms: Trust, faith, confidence
Idioms and Phrases
- Trust is hard to earn, easy to lose: This means that it takes a long time to build trust, but only a moment to break it. Example: "He found out that trust is hard to earn, easy to lose when he caught his friend lying."
- Don’t throw good money after bad: This phrase is used to caution against continuing to invest in something that is failing due to mistrust of its potential. Example: "After the project failed, he decided not to throw good money after bad and pulled out."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Mistrust among the team members caused delays in the project as they hesitated to share their ideas.
Example 2: Because of her previous experiences, she felt a deep mistrust towards strangers online.
Example 3: The politician spoke about bringing back trust to the community, as there was too much mistrust in the government.
Fun Fact
The word "mistrust" is formed by adding the prefix "mis-" to "trust", where "mis-" indicates a negative or opposite force. This shows how language can change the meaning of a word dramatically with just a small addition!
Famous Quote
"The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool." Stephen King
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "mistrust" mean?
a) To believe completely
b) To feel doubt about someone or something
c) To be happy with a situation
d) To admire someone
Answer: b) To feel doubt about someone or something
2. Which of these is a synonym of "mistrust"?
a) Trust
b) Distrust
c) Joy
d) Friendship
Answer: b) Distrust
3. Which is an antonym of "mistrust"?
a) Scepticism
b) Confidence
c) Suspicion
d) Doubt
Answer: b) Confidence
4. Which sentence uses "mistrust" correctly?
a) He showed mistrust towards his friend's honesty after the incident.
b) The mistrust danced all night.
c) She sang with mistrust in her heart.
d) They played mistrust in the park.
Answer: a) He showed mistrust towards his friend's honesty after the incident.
5. Which idiom relates to mistrust?
a) Trust is hard to earn, easy to lose
b) As busy as a bee
c) A horse of a different colour
d) A stitch in time saves nine
Answer: a) Trust is hard to earn, easy to lose
