When you don't trust someone, do you mistrust them or distrust them? These two words have basically the same meaning, but there is a subtle difference in connotation if not in denotation.
When you mistrust someone or something, you have a general feeling about it Your point of view is not necessarily based on fact or experience. When you distrust someone or something, your that feeling is based on knowledge.
Here are a few example sentences on how to correctly use these two words:
· The second I met him, I mistrusted him.
· I tend to mistrust all the ads I see on TV.
· After she cheated on him, he always distrusted her.
· Society distrusts anyone who has been convicted of a serious crime.
Most of the time, no one will raise an eyebrow if you use these words interchangeably. In fact, you could probably just choose the one that sounds better to you and stick with it for all situations. It's only the staunchest and pickiest word nerds who will catch the difference.
YOU ARE READING
Things Every Writer Should Know (but Most Don't)
Non-FictionYou have a wonderful idea for a story, and that is fantastic! But how can you make sure that poor mechanics don't distract your writers from your message? I address some of the most common errors in writing and tell you how to fix them.
