truhsts
/tɹʌsts/
trusts is pronounced truhsts (/tɹʌsts/). Trusts is the third-person singular present tense of trust, or a plural noun referring to groups that hold in trust. In pronunciation, the word is a brief, closed syllable sequence /trʌsts/ (British /trʌsts/; Australian /trʌsts/), with a final /s/ that can sound sharp in careful speech. The sense usually comes from verb conjugation or noun meaning, distinct from “trust” by final consonant cluster.
Trusts is the third-person singular present tense of trust, or a plural noun referring to groups that hold in trust. In pronunciation, the word is a brief, closed syllable sequence /trʌsts/ (British /trʌsts/; Australian /trʌsts/), with a final /s/ that can sound sharp in careful speech. The sense usually comes from verb conjugation or noun meaning, distinct from “trust” by final consonant cluster.
"He trusts his team's judgment in high-stakes decisions."
"The charity funds trusts for educational programs."
"Several trusts have been established to manage the estate."
Pronounced as /trʌsts/. Start with /tr/ (tip of the tongue near the ridge of the alveolar gum), then /ʌ/ as in 'strut', followed by a final /sts/ cluster where the /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative and the /t/ is released quickly into the /s/. In connected speech, the final /t/ can be lightly unreleased, giving /trʌs/ in rapid speech, but careful speech often yields /trʌsts/ with a crisp /t/ release. IPA: US/UK/AU = /trʌsts/.
Common errors: (1) Reducing the /tr/ into a simple /t/ or /d/ blend, producing /dʌsts/ or /tʌsts/. (2) Dropping the final /t/ or turning it into /s/ or /z/, yielding /trʌs/ or /trʌst z/. (3) Misplacing the stressed vowel, turning it into /aɪ/ or /ɛ/ forms. Corrections: practice the initial /tr/ with a light release, maintain /ʌ/ sounds as in 'strut', and ensure the final /ts/ is a clean, crisp release or a slightly unreleased /t/ before /s/.
US: crisp /t/ release, rhotic vowel context doesn’t affect the word itself. UK: similar /trʌsts/ but with slightly tighter jaw and enunciated /t/; Australian: often a more centralized /ʌ/ and a slightly longer, more relaxed /s/ edge. In all, rhoticity isn’t the key here; the main differences are vowel quality and the speed of the final /t/ to /s/ transition.
The challenge lies in the final consonant cluster /ts/. Many speakers have trouble ending with a crisp /t/ before an /s/ or may elide the /t/ in fast speech, producing /trʌs/ or /trʌstz/. Achieving a precise, audible /t/ release before the /s/ requires careful timing of the tongue tip at the alveolar ridge and a brief stop closure before the sibilant fricative.
A unique consideration for 'trusts' is the potential assimilation or linking in rapid speech. In phrases like 'he trusts her judgment,' you might hear a subtle blending so the /t/ of trusts and the following /h/ in 'he' connect with minimal vowel sound in between. Focus on maintaining the voiceless stop /t/ clearly right before the /s/ to prevent a slurred /s/.
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The verb trust derives from Middle English treosten, from Old English treouwen meaning ‘to believe, have confidence in.’ The noun trust comes from Old French troster (to trust, to rely) via Latin trustus, with Proto-Germanic roots seen in Old High German trūst. In Early Modern English, trust shifted to a stable meaning of belief or reliance, and then to legal and financial senses, including trusts as fiduciary arrangements. The plural –s form on the verb is standard for third-person singular present (he trusts, she trusts), while the noun plural uses –s in contexts like “the family trusts.” First known uses appear in legal and religious texts of the 14th–15th centuries, with modern sense consolidating through 17th–19th centuries in jurisprudence and finance. Today, “trusts” commonly appears in legal, financial, and relational contexts, maintaining the core idea of reliance plus ownership/handling by a fiduciary party.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "trusts" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "trusts"
-sts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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