TRUHS-tid
/ˈtɹʌstɪd/
trusted is pronounced TRUHS-tid (/ˈtɹʌstɪd/). Trusted is the past participle adjective and verb past tense form of trust. In practice, it describes someone or something that has been relied on or believed in; as a verb, it denotes the act of placing faith in someone or something. The word carries connotations of reliability and confidence, often used in formal and informal praise, reporting outcomes, or evaluating credibility. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words).
Trusted is the past participle adjective and verb past tense form of trust. In practice, it describes someone or something that has been relied on or believed in; as a verb, it denotes the act of placing faith in someone or something. The word carries connotations of reliability and confidence, often used in formal and informal praise, reporting outcomes, or evaluating credibility. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words)
"The community trusted her judgment during the crisis."
"Robust data and transparent methods have made their conclusions highly trusted."
"We trusted the report, but later found it was incomplete."
Pronounce as /ˈtrʌs.tɪd/. Start with the stress on the first syllable: TRUST. The /ʌ/ is the short “uh” sound as in “strut.” Then a light /s/ followed by the /t/ cluster. The second syllable uses /-ɪd/, so it sounds like “tɪd.” In careful speech, keep the two syllables distinct: TRUS-ted. In fast speech, you may hear a quick tie but the /ɪd/ should still be audible. IPA: US/UK/AUS: /ˈtrʌs.tɪd/.
Common errors: misplacing stress (saying truSTed), overemphasizing the /t/ after /s/ (trus-TED), or merging the final /ɪd/ into a simple /d/ or /t/. Correct by ensuring primary stress on the first syllable, maintaining a short /ʌ/ in the first vowel, keeping a clear /s/ before the /t/, and articulating the final /ɪd/ as a clear /ɪd/ rather than a silent or rushed /d/. Practice slow-to-normal tempo with phonetic cues.
In US/UK/AU, the core /ˈtrʌs.tɪd/ remains, but rhoticity affects surrounding vowels slightly. US pronunciation may have a sharper /r/ influence if linked to nearby sounds; UK tends toward non-rhotic tendencies in connected speech but still produces a clear /ɹ/ in careful speech; AU shares similar patterns with UK but can show a more lifted vowel quality in /ʌ/ and /ɪ/. The final /ɪd/ tends to be crisp in all, though Australians may exhibit a slightly lighter, centralized vowel due to vowel space variation.
The difficulty is not the meaning but the phonemic cluster: the /tr/ onset, the short /ʌ/ vowel, the /s/ immediately before a /t/ cluster, and the final /-ɪd/ combination. The /tr/ blends require precise tongue positioning and quick transition to the alveolar /s/ and /t/. The final /ɪd/ can be realized as a light, delicate vowel before a crisp /d/ in careful speech, which can be challenging for non-native speakers.
What role does the /ɪ/ in the final syllable play when the word is connected to a following word ending in a vowel? In careful speech, you’ll keep /ɪd/ distinct; in fast speech, you may hear a reduced form like /tɪd/ with a quicker, lighter pronunciation of the /ɪ/ vowel, yet good speakers preserve the contrast between /t/ and /d/.
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Trusted derives from the verb trust, from Old Norse trausta ‘to trust, to trust with confidence,’ and from Old English treustian, related to treowe ‘faith, fidelity’ in Proto-Germanic lineage. The root reflects “reliance” or “confidence.” In Middle English, trust evolved from concepts of fidelity and protection to a broader sense of belief and reliance. By the 16th century, trusted appeared as past participle form describing something that had earned confidence or been relied upon, expanding into a common adjective phrase in legal, moral, and everyday language. The semantic path tracks a shift from interpersonal fidelity to generalized credibility and dependability, aligning with modern usage in evaluating people, institutions, products, and information sources. The word’s usage intensified with bureaucratic, commercial, and scientific contexts where verified reliability matters, preserving the core idea of “worthy of trust.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "trusted" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "trusted" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "trusted"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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