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trustful

Trustful is an adjective that describes a person or attitude characterized by trust or confidence in others. A trustful individual is inclined to believe in the honesty or reliability of people or institutions, and may approach interactions with openness and faith in good intentions. The term can carry a positive value, signaling generosity or warmth, but when taken to an extreme it may imply vulnerability or naivety.

In contemporary usage, trustful is less common than trusting or trustworthy. It tends to appear in more

Etymology: trustful is built from the noun or verb trust with the suffix -ful, meaning “full of

See also: trust; trustworthiness; trusting; trustworthy; credulous.

formal
or
literary
contexts,
or
in
phrases
such
as
“to
be
trustful
of
someone”
or
“a
trustful
attitude.”
The
meaning
overlaps
with
trusting
(ready
to
trust)
and
trustworthy
(worthy
of
trust),
but
the
nuance
differs:
trustful
emphasizes
the
presence
of
trust
as
a
disposition,
rather
than
the
character
or
reliability
of
the
person.
trust.”
The
root
trust
derives
historically
from
Old
English
treow,
meaning
faith
or
fidelity,
with
related
forms
in
other
Germanic
languages.
Over
time,
English
has
developed
several
related
adjectives,
including
trusting,
trustworthy,
and
distrustful,
each
with
distinct
emphasis.