misstrauen
distrust
Definition & meaning
The verb misstrauen means to distrust or to lack confidence in someone or something. It describes a state of doubt regarding the honesty, reliability, or sincerity of a person or a situation.
As a noun, das Misstrauen refers to the feeling of suspicion, mistrust, or skepticism.
Grammar & Word origin
Grammar:
- Verb: misstrauen is a weak, separable verb that requires the dative case (e.g., "Ich misstraue ihm" - I distrust him).
- Noun: das Misstrauen is a neuter noun.
Word origin: The word is a compound of the prefix miss- (indicating a negative, wrong, or faulty direction) and the verb trauen (to trust, to dare). Historically, it combines the concept of "trust" with a prefix that reverses its meaning, effectively creating the term for the absence or corruption of trust.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- skeptisch sein (to be skeptical)
- zweifeln (to doubt)
- argwöhnen (to suspect/to harbor suspicion)
- etw. nicht über den Weg trauen (idiomatic: not to trust someone)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Man sollte niemandem grundlos misstrauen.verb
One should not distrust anyone without reason.
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