- Do you ever wonder if you’re using “trust” correctly in different situations?
- Are you unsure which prepositions go with “trust” – is it “trust in” or “trust on”?
- Do you want to sound more natural and fluent when talking about reliability and confidence?
Mastering collocations, those natural pairings of words that native speakers use instinctively, is a superpower for English learners. Instead of translating word-for-word, understanding collocations like those with “trust” will boost your fluency, improve your comprehension, and help you communicate with greater precision and confidence. Let’s dive into the world of “trust” and unlock its most common and useful collocations!
Common Collocations with TRUST as a Verb
When “trust” functions as a verb, it describes the act of believing in someone’s reliability, honesty, or ability, or entrusting something to someone.
Actions of Trusting
- Trust someone/something (implicitly/fully/blindly): To have complete faith or confidence in.
Example: I trust my colleague implicitly with important projects; she always delivers.
Example: Do you really trust his judgment fully after what happened last time?
Example: It’s dangerous to trust a stranger blindly without knowing anything about them.
- Trust in someone/something: To have faith or confidence in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something. Often used for abstract concepts or beliefs.
Example: We must trust in the process and believe that hard work will pay off.
Example: Many people trust in a higher power to guide them through life.
- Trust (someone) with something: To allow someone to be responsible for something, believing they will handle it well.
Example: I wouldn’t trust him with my money; he’s very irresponsible.
Example: She trusted her friend with her deepest secrets, knowing they would be safe.
- Trust (someone) to do something: To rely on someone to perform an action.
Example: You can trust John to finish the report on time; he’s very dependable.
Example: I trust you to make the right decision for the team.
Receiving or Giving Trust
- Earn/Gain/Win trust: To acquire someone’s confidence or belief over time through actions.
Example: It takes consistent effort and honesty to earn someone’s trust.
Example: The new manager quickly gained the trust of her employees with her transparent approach.
Example: He hoped his dedication would eventually win their trust back.
- Place/Put trust in (someone/something): To invest confidence or reliance in someone or something.
Example: I wouldn’t place too much trust in his promises; he often overcommits.
Example: We put our trust in the legal system to deliver justice.
- Betray/Break trust: To disappoint someone who has trusted you, often by revealing secrets or acting dishonestly.
Example: Sharing his secret was a terrible way to betray his trust.
Example: When you lie, you break the trust that has been built over years.
Essential Collocations using TRUST as a Noun
When “trust” is used as a noun, it refers to the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
States and Qualities of Trust
- A bond/relationship of trust: A strong connection built on mutual belief and reliability.
Example: Their long friendship was built on a deep bond of trust.
Example: A healthy working environment requires a strong relationship of trust between management and staff.
- A vote of trust/no trust: An official expression of confidence or lack thereof.
Example: The board gave the CEO a unanimous vote of trust, supporting his new strategy.
Example: The opposition called for a vote of no trust in the government’s economic policies.
- Trust issues: Difficulties in trusting others, often due to past experiences.
Example: After being let down so many times, she developed serious trust issues.
Example: Therapy can help people work through their trust issues and build healthier relationships.
- A breach of trust: An act of breaking trust, often leading to disappointment or damage to a relationship.
Example: Misusing company funds was a clear breach of trust and resulted in his dismissal.
Example: Revealing confidential information would be considered a severe breach of trust.
- A leap of trust: An act of trusting someone or something despite risks or uncertainties.
Example: Starting his own business was a huge leap of trust, but it paid off.
Example: Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of trust and believe in yourself.
Actions Involving Trust (Noun Form)
- Build/Establish trust: To develop confidence and belief in a relationship over time.
Example: It takes time and effort to build trust with new clients.
Example: Transparency and clear communication help to establish trust among team members.
- Lose trust: To stop believing in someone’s reliability or honesty.
Example: He lost her trust when he failed to keep his promise repeatedly.
Example: Once you lose trust, it’s very difficult to regain it.
- Regain/Restore trust: To get back someone’s confidence or belief after it has been lost.
Example: He worked hard to regain the trust of his family after his mistake.
Example: The company launched a new campaign to restore public trust in their brand.
The Master Summary Table: Essential Trust Collocations
Here’s a quick reference for some of the most crucial “trust” collocations to help solidify your understanding:
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| trust someone implicitly | Verb Phrase | To have complete faith in someone. |
| trust in something | Verb Phrase | To have faith or confidence in an abstract concept. |
| trust someone with something | Verb Phrase | To give someone responsibility for something. |
| earn/gain/win trust | Verb + Noun | To acquire someone’s confidence. |
| place/put trust in | Verb + Noun | To invest confidence or reliance. |
| betray/break trust | Verb + Noun | To disappoint someone who trusted you. |
| build/establish trust | Verb + Noun | To develop confidence in a relationship. |
| lose trust | Verb + Noun | To stop believing in someone’s reliability. |
| a bond/relationship of trust | Noun Phrase | A strong connection built on mutual belief. |
| a breach of trust | Noun Phrase | An act of breaking trust. |
| a leap of trust | Noun Phrase | An act of trusting despite risks. |
| trust issues | Noun Phrase | Difficulties in trusting others. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
Avoid these common pitfalls that often arise when learners translate directly. Embrace natural English collocations!
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| create trust | build trust / establish trust |
| give trust to someone | place trust in someone / put trust in someone |
| have trust on him | trust him / have trust in him |
| destroy trust | break trust / betray trust / lose trust |
| confidence problems | trust issues |
| a jump of trust | a leap of trust |
“Dear Team, I wanted to address the recent challenges we’ve faced. I understand that incidents like these can make it difficult to build trust, but I assure you, my commitment to transparency is unwavering. We need to trust in the process and each other to overcome this. I’m taking steps to restore public trust in our project. Going forward, I aim to earn your trust by being open and accountable. I also need to trust you to communicate any concerns directly. Let’s remember that a strong relationship of trust is key to our success. There will be no room for a breach of trust from anyone. I’m asking for a collective leap of trust as we move forward.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Trust Collocations
Can ‘trust’ be followed by different prepositions, and what do they mean?
Yes, ‘trust’ can take different prepositions, and they often change the nuance. You typically ‘trust in something‘ (faith in an abstract idea, like ‘trust in God’ or ‘trust in the system’). You ‘trust someone with something‘ (to give responsibility, like ‘trust her with your keys’). When ‘trust’ is a noun, you often ‘place/put trust in someone/something‘. Simply ‘trust someone‘ (verb) or ‘have trust in someone‘ (noun phrase) means believing in their honesty and reliability.
What’s the difference between “trust (verb)” and “have trust (noun phrase)”?
Both express confidence, but “trust” as a verb is more direct: “I trust him.” “Have trust” uses ‘trust’ as a noun and is often followed by ‘in’: “I have trust in him.” The verb form is usually more common and concise in everyday speech. The noun phrase can sometimes imply a more reflective or foundational sense of belief.
How can I use “trust issues” naturally in a sentence?
“Trust issues” is a common and natural way to describe a person’s difficulty in trusting others, often stemming from past negative experiences. For example, you could say: “After his last relationship, he developed serious trust issues.” or “Her trust issues make it hard for her to open up to new people.” It’s generally used to refer to a psychological or relational challenge.
Is “trust” always positive, or can it have negative connotations in collocations?
While the core meaning of ‘trust’ is positive (belief in reliability), its collocations can describe negative outcomes. Phrases like “betray trust,” “break trust,” or “lose trust” clearly show the negative impact when trust is damaged. Similarly, having “trust issues” describes a negative state. So, while the concept itself is positive, the actions and states surrounding it can certainly be negative.
Are there any collocations with “trust” that are more formal than others?
Yes, some collocations lean towards more formal contexts. For instance, “a vote of trust/no trust” is typically found in political or corporate governance settings. “A breach of trust” is often used in legal or professional contexts to describe a serious violation. “Place/put trust in” can sound slightly more formal than simply “trust (verb)” depending on the sentence structure.
When you say 'I trust my colleague implicitly,' does 'implicitly' make it sound very formal? Or is it something you'd say in everyday work conversations?
That's a thoughtful point, Sophie! 'Implicitly' isn't overly formal; it's quite common in professional or even serious personal contexts to convey complete, unquestioning trust. You would absolutely hear it in everyday work conversations, especially when discussing important responsibilities or relationships where strong confidence is vital. It adds a nuanced layer of meaning, emphasizing the completeness of the trust.
The examples are super useful. It's hard to learn collocations without seeing them in context, and these are all very clear and realistic. Thank you!
As an advanced learner, I often look for common pitfalls or mistakes even native speakers sometimes make. Are there any nuanced misuses of 'trust' collocations that even advanced learners or non-native teachers should be aware of?
Fantastic question, Javier! For advanced learners, a subtle pitfall might be overusing 'trust in' when 'trust' (as a transitive verb) would suffice and sound more direct. For example, 'I trust my doctor' is generally more common and natural than 'I trust in my doctor' unless you're emphasizing a deep, almost philosophical faith. Also, being mindful of the often negative connotation of 'trust blindly' is key to using it appropriately. Keep challenging yourself!
This article really highlights why collocations are crucial. It's not just about knowing words, but knowing how they naturally fit together. My speaking is so much less 'choppy' now!
Does 'trust' always function as a verb in these collocations, or can it be a noun too? Like 'place trust in someone' or 'build trust with someone'?
Great question, Aisha! While this article focused on 'trust' as a verb, you're absolutely right that it also functions as a noun in many important collocations! Phrases like 'place (your) trust in someone/something,' 'build trust,' 'earn trust,' or 'a leap of trust' are common and very natural. We'll definitely look into covering 'trust' as a noun in a future post!
The example of 'trusting blindly' immediately gave me a clear picture. Sometimes just one good example makes all the difference for comprehension. Thanks!
Related to this, what's the difference between 'trustworthy' and 'trustable'? Are both commonly used, or is one preferred?
That's a very astute follow-up, Renata! 'Trustworthy' is by far the more common and standard adjective. It means deserving of trust or confidence. 'Trustable' is technically understandable but much less frequently used and can sometimes sound a bit informal or even clunky. For natural and correct English, always opt for 'trustworthy'!
In French, we say 'faire confiance à quelqu'un' which is literally 'to make trust to someone.' It's interesting how English simplifies it to just 'trust someone.' I appreciate the directness!
This makes me wonder about other verbs that are tricky with prepositions. Like 'rely on' vs 'rely in' (obviously 'on' is correct, but the confusion is similar). Any chance for an article on a similar topic for other verbs?
That's an excellent suggestion, David! You're right, many verbs pose similar challenges with prepositions. 'Rely on' is a classic example. We'll definitely consider a future article exploring other common verbs and their essential collocations. Thanks for the inspiration!
Practical, clear, and engaging. This is exactly why I follow Translateen.com! Keep these grammar/vocabulary deep dives coming!