distrusted
Viewed with suspicion
Distrusted is the past tense and past participle of distrust, meaning to regard with suspicion or lack confidence in.
If someone is distrusted, others view them as unreliable or potentially deceptive.
He was widely distrusted after the scandal broke.
The word carries stronger negative weight than simply not being trusted—it implies active wariness rather than mere unfamiliarity.
Guardedly alert
- skepticalInclined to question claims
- vigilantKeenly aware of danger
- guardedWary and restrained
- circumspectCarefully considering consequences
watchful · alert · hesitant · reserved · defensive · protective · careful · scrutinizing
Unreasonably suspicious of others
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
fear · irrational · obsessive · hypervigilant · delusional · suspicious · everyone · watching
Sense of unease about motives
- doubtLack of firm belief
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- warinessCautious distrust
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
cynicism · misgiving · incredulity · questioning · unconvinced · discredit · distrustfulness · dubiousness
Deliberate violation of trust
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- backstabBetray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
perfidy · treason · betrayer · deceit · unfaithful · infidelity · sabotage · undermine
wary
Guardedly alert
circumspect · watchful · alert · hesitant · reserved · defensive · protective · careful · scrutinizing · suspicious
paranoid
Unreasonably suspicious of others
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
anxiety · fear · irrational · obsessive · hypervigilant · delusional · suspicious · everyone · watching · enemies
suspicion
Sense of unease about motives
- doubtLack of firm belief
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- warinessCautious distrust
disbelief · cynicism · misgiving · incredulity · questioning · unconvinced · discredit · distrustfulness · dubiousness · leery
treachery
Deliberate violation of trust
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- backstabBetray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
disloyalty · perfidy · treason · betrayer · deceit · unfaithful · infidelity · sabotage · undermine · fraudulence
distrustedtrusted
Earned belief in
believed · credited · confided in · counted on · believed in
- mutual distrustShared lack of faith
- media distrustSuspicion toward news outlets
- government distrustSuspicion of public authority
distrust, distrustful, distrusting, distrusts, distrustfully, distruster