What does trust mean?
Trust is the confident expectation that a person, institution, statement, or action will be honest, dependable, or fair. It can be expressed as a noun, as in “she has earned our trust,” or as a verb, as in “we trust the evidence.” Trust is usually built gradually through reliability, honesty, transparency, and fair conduct, and its loss can be as significant as its development. The word also has a specialized legal meaning: a trust is an arrangement in which a trustee manages property or assets for beneficiaries. In everyday use, trust often implies more than simple belief; it suggests confidence that someone will act responsibly, especially where personal welfare or valuable resources are involved. Trust underpins relationships, institutions, commerce, and public life, making it both a practical concept and a central subject of moral, political, and legal discussion.
Confidence in the honesty, reliability, or good intentions of someone or something; a legal arrangement in which a trustee manages assets for beneficiaries.
"The new manager restored trust among staff and customers."
The ordinary sense concerns confidence in a person, institution, or principle. The legal sense denotes a fiduciary arrangement and should not be confused with ordinary confidence.
To believe in or rely confidently on someone or something; to entrust a responsibility or possession to someone.
"We trusted the volunteers to organize the event."
When followed by a clause, the verb can express confident expectation: “I trust that the package will arrive tomorrow.”
The plural is uncommon when trust means ordinary confidence and is especially used for multiple legal trust arrangements or distinct holdings of property in trust.
"The family established two charitable trusts."
The word traces to an Old Norse term associated with confidence and support, giving trust a sense of something dependable on which one can rely.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of trust
English trust entered through Middle English forms related to Old Norse traustr, meaning confidence, help, or support. Its deeper Germanic roots connect it with the same family of words as true and truth, expressing the idea of being faithful or trustworthy. Cognates include Dutch troost and German Trost, although the English word developed a broader range of meanings concerning confidence, reliance, and legally entrusted property.
Related word forms
How trust is actually used
The noun commonly denotes an attitude of confidence, while the verb expresses reliance or the granting of responsibility. In legal contexts, “trust” specifically refers to an arrangement involving a trustee and beneficiaries. Phrases such as “trust me” can sound impatient or dismissive depending on tone and context.
Easily confused with trust
Trust refers to confidence in a person or thing, whereas a truss is a structural framework designed to support a load.