distrustfully
distrustfully — adverb
1. in a manner that shows you do not believe someone is honest or that something is
in a manner that shows you do not believe someone is honest or that something is safe, often by watching, questioning, or hesitating.
Camila eyed the stranger distrustfully as he approached her front gate.
verb + somebody + distrustfully (with a watching verb)
The cat sniffed the new food distrustfully and then walked away from the bowl.
describes a hesitant, suspicious physical reaction
Joshua read the email from his bank distrustfully, checking each link for warning signs.
Villagers in the Andes watched the visiting officials distrustfully after years of broken promises about clean water.
Hana asked about the contract distrustfully, wanting to know who would benefit from the deal.
- suspiciously
more common everyday word for the same idea; often interchangeable
- warily
stresses cautious watchfulness more than disbelief
- skeptically
stresses doubt about truth or value rather than dishonesty
- trustingly
in a way that shows full belief in someone
- openly
without holding back or guarding oneself
文法句型
verb + distrustfully
look/eye/regard + somebody/something + distrustfully
用法筆記
Frequently pairs with verbs of perception or reaction (look, eye, watch, glance, sniff, sniff at) or with verbs of communication (ask, question, reply). Place after the verb or its object; rarely fronted.
常見錯誤
distrustfully — adjective
1. showing or filled with the feeling that someone is not honest or that something
showing or filled with the feeling that someone is not honest or that something is not safe — used as a less common variant of 'distrustful'.
Noa gave the salesman a distrustfully cool reply and closed the door.
modifies another adjective ('cool') to colour the manner
Élise wore a distrustfully tight smile while listening to the new manager's promises.
modifies an adjective describing facial expression
Samir spoke in a distrustfully low voice when asked about his old company.
The audit committee asked Ritu a distrustfully detailed set of questions about the missing money from the charity account.
- distrustful
the standard modern adjective; preferred in nearly all contexts
- suspicious
more common everyday adjective for the same feeling
- trusting
willing to believe in others' honesty
文法句型
a distrustfully + noun (rare; usually 'distrustful' is preferred)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense adverb/1: this entry is the rare adjective form (treated by Merriam-Webster). In modern English the standard adjective is 'distrustful'; prefer that form unless quoting or matching an established phrase.