Trust (social sciences)

Trust is a feeling that somebody or something can be relied upon, or will turn out to be good. It is the feeling of being sure about something, even if it cannot be proved.

The word "trust" can be a noun or a verb:

• (Noun): I have complete trust in you (meaning: I can rely on you to do the right thing, or what I want you to do).
• (Verb): I trust you completely (same meaning).

There is also an adjective: trusting.

• He is very trusting (meaning: he trusts people easily).

One can also trust a thing:

• I would not trust that chair (meaning: If you sit on it, it will probably break).

To trust often means: to feel confident that something will or has happened:

• I trust you are feeling better.

In religion, trust can be similar to faith. Someone who believes in God will put their trust in Him: the Book of Proverbs says: 'Trust in the LORD with all your heart' (3:5)

To trust (or entrust) can be used in other ways:

• I would not trust him with lots of money (meaning: “He might not be honest. He might keep some for himself”).

Good or bad?

Trusting does not necessarily mean that the person or thing that is trusted is good. Two criminals might be friends and they might trust one another, but what they trust one another to do is bad (although it might seem good to them).

Being trusting without thinking carefully about it might be dangerous. People can sometimes win someone’s trust, but then they might break their trust.

Opposites

The opposite of “trusting” is “mistrust” (“to have no trust in”). This is similar to the word “suspicious”.

Someone who is untrustworthy is someone who cannot be trusted.

To “take something on trust” means: to trust something without looking at it carefully.

Related pages

• Social psychology
• Intimacy
• Trustworthiness
• Faith (trust in a god)
• Social capital
• In God We Trust