DISTRUSTFUL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does distrustful mean? 

• DISTRUSTFUL (adjective)
  The adjective DISTRUSTFUL has 1 sense:

1. having or showing distrust

  Familiarity information: DISTRUSTFUL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISTRUSTFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having or showing distrust

Context example:

vigilant and distrustful superintendence

Similar:

cynical; misanthropic; misanthropical (believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others)

doubting; questioning; sceptical; skeptical (marked by or given to doubt)

green-eyed; jealous; overjealous (suspicious or unduly suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival)

leery; mistrustful; suspicious; untrusting; wary (openly distrustful and unwilling to confide)

misogynic ((used of men) having deep-seated distrust of women)

oversuspicious (unduly suspicious)

Also:

incredulous (not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving)

Antonym:

trustful (inclined to believe or confide readily; full of trust)

Derivation:

distrustfulness (the trait of not trusting others)

 Context examples 

He had become distrustful of editors.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I felt impotent, and in the dark, and distrustful.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

All this ran in my head so much, on that first day at Doctor Strong's, that I felt distrustful of my slightest look and gesture; shrunk within myself whensoever I was approached by one of my new schoolfellows; and hurried off the minute school was over, afraid of committing myself in my response to any friendly notice or advance.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The sun streamed in at the little window, but she sat with her own back and the back of the large chair towards it, screening the fire as if she were sedulously keeping IT warm, instead of it keeping her warm, and watching it in a most distrustful manner.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)