I don't trust them here vs Suspect

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

I don't trust them here

Top 2,000 (common)

Suspect

Top 2,000 (common)B2verb
 I don't trust them hereSuspect
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //aɪ dəʊnt trʌst ðɛm hɪə//🇺🇸 //aɪ doʊnt trʌst ðɛm hɪr//🇬🇧 /["/səˈspekt/","/səˈspekts/","/səˈspektɪd/","/səˈspektɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈspekt/","/səˈspekts/","/səˈspektɪd/","/səˈspektɪŋ/"]/
MeaningI think they are not honest with me.to think someone might be guilty or bad
ExampleI don't trust them here because they've lied before.The detective began to suspect that the alibi was fabricated.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level-B2
Part of speechverb
Collocationstrust someone, trust issues, trust no one, trust in, trust mestrongly, rather, rightly, begin to, have reason to, have reasons to, be widely suspected, rightly, wrongly, of, have grounds for suspecting somebody/​something, have grounds to suspect somebody/​something, have reason to suspect somebody/​something
Antonyms-trust, believe, assure
Common mistakesTranslating 'trust' directly into another language without considering context., Confusing 'trust' with 'believe' in certain contexts.Confused with 'suspected' - remember to use 'suspect' for present tense., Using 'suspect' without an object - always have something or someone you suspect., Mispronouncing it as 'suspect' like the noun form, when it is used as a verb.
Usage notesUsed to express doubt or uncertainty about someone's honesty or reliability. Suitable for conversations involving feelings of distrust.Used when you have a feeling that someone is responsible for something negative. Not typically used for casual conversation unless referring to criminals. In formal contexts, it may require clarification.

See it in real clips

I don't trust them here
Suspect

Frequently asked questions: I don't trust them here vs Suspect

What's the difference between I don't trust them here and Suspect?

I don't trust them here: I think they are not honest with me. Suspect: to think someone might be guilty or bad

Can you show an example of each?

I don't trust them here: I don't trust them here because they've lied before. Suspect: The detective began to suspect that the alibi was fabricated.

Can I use I don't trust them here and Suspect interchangeably?

Not always. I don't trust them here and Suspect are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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