Trust is the glue that holds relationships together, whether it’s between friends, family members, teammates, or coworkers. It’s one of those powerful feelings that takes time to build, but only seconds to break. That’s why the way we talk about trust—how we express it, question it, or try to rebuild it—matters a lot.
Idioms are a creative and engaging way to describe trust in different situations. These phrases don’t always mean what the words literally say, but they paint vivid pictures of loyalty, belief, doubt, and honesty. Whether you’re trying to explain why you believe in someone, or why you no longer do, idioms can help you communicate those feelings more clearly.
In this post, you’ll explore 50 unique idioms that all relate to trust. You’ll learn what they mean, how to use them in everyday conversations, and even pick up a few alternative ways to say the same thing. Let’s dive into these trust-filled expressions and see how language helps us connect more deeply with others.
Idioms for Trust
1. Take someone at their word
Meaning: To believe what someone says without needing proof.
In a Sentence: I took her at her word when she promised to return the book tomorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Believe blindly, Accept what they say
2. In good faith
Meaning: With honest intentions or sincere belief.
In a Sentence: He signed the contract in good faith, trusting the company would honor the deal.
Other Ways to Say: With honesty, Trusting fully
3. Have faith in someone
Meaning: To trust someone’s abilities or character.
In a Sentence: I have faith in you—you’ll do great on your presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Believe in, Count on
4. On the level
Meaning: Honest and trustworthy.
In a Sentence: She’s totally on the level about the situation—there’s nothing shady going on.
Other Ways to Say: Straightforward, Honest
5. Above board
Meaning: Legal, honest, and open.
In a Sentence: Their business dealings are completely above board and transparent.
Other Ways to Say: Legitimate, Fair and square
6. A man of his word / A woman of her word
Meaning: Someone who keeps their promises.
In a Sentence: You can trust him—he’s a man of his word.
Other Ways to Say: Reliable person, Promise keeper
7. Trust someone as far as you can throw them
Meaning: To not trust someone very much.
In a Sentence: I wouldn’t trust Jake with my secrets—I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.
Other Ways to Say: Doubt their honesty, Can’t rely on them
8. Put your trust in
Meaning: To rely on someone or something to do the right thing.
In a Sentence: We put our trust in the coach to lead us through the final match.
Other Ways to Say: Depend on, Count on
9. On the up and up
Meaning: Honest and trustworthy, especially in business or plans.
In a Sentence: Their offer sounds good, but I need to make sure it’s on the up and up.
Other Ways to Say: Legit, Trustworthy
10. Back someone up
Meaning: To support and stand by someone.
In a Sentence: No matter what happens, I’ll back you up in front of the team.
Other Ways to Say: Support, Be there for
11. Give the benefit of the doubt
Meaning: To assume someone is telling the truth, even if unsure.
In a Sentence: I didn’t see what happened, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
Other Ways to Say: Trust for now, Believe without proof
12. Go out on a limb
Meaning: To take a risk by trusting someone or something.
In a Sentence: I’m going out on a limb recommending him for the job, but I believe in him.
Other Ways to Say: Take a chance, Risk it
13. Lay your cards on the table
Meaning: To be open and honest about your thoughts or feelings.
In a Sentence: It’s time we laid our cards on the table and told the truth.
Other Ways to Say: Be honest, Come clean
14. Keep your word
Meaning: To do what you said you would do.
In a Sentence: She always keeps her word, which is why we trust her so much.
Other Ways to Say: Stick to promises, Be reliable
15. Give someone your word
Meaning: To make a sincere promise.
In a Sentence: I give you my word—I’ll be there to help you move.
Other Ways to Say: Promise, Assure
16. Cross your heart
Meaning: A way of saying you’re telling the truth.
In a Sentence: I didn’t take your phone—cross my heart!
Other Ways to Say: Swear it’s true, Honestly
17. Earn someone’s trust
Meaning: To gain someone’s belief and confidence through actions.
In a Sentence: It took months, but he finally earned the team’s trust.
Other Ways to Say: Build trust, Gain confidence
18. Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: Don’t believe everything someone says too seriously.
In a Sentence: She always exaggerates, so I take her stories with a grain of salt.
Other Ways to Say: Be skeptical, Don’t fully believe
19. Come clean
Meaning: To confess the truth.
In a Sentence: He finally came clean about where he was last night.
Other Ways to Say: Confess, Tell the truth
20. Build bridges
Meaning: To repair or form trust and relationships.
In a Sentence: After the argument, we started to build bridges again by talking honestly.
Other Ways to Say: Reconnect, Make peace
21. Keep it under your hat
Meaning: To keep a secret.
In a Sentence: I’m trusting you to keep this under your hat—no one else can know.
Other Ways to Say: Keep quiet, Stay discreet
22. Stand by someone
Meaning: To support someone, especially during tough times.
In a Sentence: She stood by me when everyone else doubted me.
Other Ways to Say: Stay loyal, Be there for
23. Let someone in
Meaning: To share personal feelings or secrets with someone you trust.
In a Sentence: It took time, but eventually I let her in and told her how I felt.
Other Ways to Say: Open up, Share feelings
24. Stick to your guns
Meaning: To stay true to your beliefs, even under pressure.
In a Sentence: He stuck to his guns and refused to lie for his friends.
Other Ways to Say: Stay firm, Don’t back down
25. Show your true colors
Meaning: To reveal who you really are, especially your honest intentions.
In a Sentence: When things got tough, she showed her true colors by helping everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Reveal your nature, Be authentic
26. Under lock and key
Meaning: Kept very safe or secret.
In a Sentence: The important documents are kept under lock and key for security reasons.
Other Ways to Say: Well-guarded, Protected
27. Trust your gut
Meaning: To follow your instincts or intuition.
In a Sentence: I wasn’t sure about the deal, so I trusted my gut and walked away.
Other Ways to Say: Follow your instincts, Go with your feeling
28. A leap of faith
Meaning: Taking a risk based on trust or belief.
In a Sentence: Moving abroad for that job was a huge leap of faith.
Other Ways to Say: Risk based on belief, Trust without proof
29. Keep something close to the chest
Meaning: To keep something secret or private.
In a Sentence: He’s keeping his plans for the project close to the chest.
Other Ways to Say: Keep private, Don’t reveal
30. In someone’s good graces
Meaning: In a position where someone trusts or favors you.
In a Sentence: After helping with the event, I was back in the teacher’s good graces.
Other Ways to Say: Regain favor, Trusted again
31. Break someone’s trust
Meaning: To do something that causes someone to no longer trust you.
In a Sentence: Lying about the money broke his trust completely.
Other Ways to Say: Ruin trust, Betray
32. Be straight with someone
Meaning: To be honest and direct.
In a Sentence: I need you to be straight with me—did you tell anyone?
Other Ways to Say: Be truthful, Don’t hide anything
33. Have someone’s back
Meaning: To support or protect someone.
In a Sentence: No matter what happens, I’ve got your back.
Other Ways to Say: Defend, Be supportive
34. Keep the faith
Meaning: To continue trusting or believing, especially during tough times.
In a Sentence: Things are rough now, but keep the faith—it’ll work out.
Other Ways to Say: Stay hopeful, Keep believing
35. Hold true
Meaning: To stay honest or faithful to values or promises.
In a Sentence: Even under pressure, she held true to her beliefs.
Other Ways to Say: Remain loyal, Stay honest
36. Put it all on the line
Meaning: To risk everything based on trust or belief.
In a Sentence: I put it all on the line when I trusted him with my secret.
Other Ways to Say: Risk everything, Take a big chance
37. Keep your nose clean
Meaning: Stay out of trouble to keep others’ trust.
In a Sentence: He’s trying to keep his nose clean after getting into trouble last year.
Other Ways to Say: Stay out of trouble, Be responsible
38. Look someone in the eye
Meaning: To face someone honestly without guilt or fear.
In a Sentence: I can look you in the eye and say I told the truth.
Other Ways to Say: Be honest, Speak confidently
39. Hold someone accountable
Meaning: To make sure someone is responsible for their actions.
In a Sentence: Trust is important, but we still need to hold each other accountable.
Other Ways to Say: Expect responsibility, Keep honest
40. Earn your stripes
Meaning: To prove yourself worthy of trust or respect.
In a Sentence: He earned his stripes by working hard and staying honest.
Other Ways to Say: Prove yourself, Gain respect
41. Read between the lines
Meaning: Understand what someone really means, even if it’s not said directly.
In a Sentence: She didn’t say she was upset, but I read between the lines.
Other Ways to Say: Pick up on clues, Understand the hidden message
42. Stand your ground
Meaning: To stick to your position or beliefs even when challenged.
In a Sentence: He stood his ground even when others pressured him to lie.
Other Ways to Say: Stay firm, Hold your position
43. Keep your lips sealed
Meaning: Promise not to share a secret.
In a Sentence: I’ll keep my lips sealed—you can trust me.
Other Ways to Say: Stay silent, Keep it to yourself
44. Go behind someone’s back
Meaning: To do something secretly that breaks trust.
In a Sentence: She went behind my back and told the teacher everything.
Other Ways to Say: Betray secretly, Act without consent
45. True blue
Meaning: Loyal and faithful.
In a Sentence: He’s a true blue friend—always by my side.
Other Ways to Say: Loyal, Trustworthy
46. Break the code
Meaning: To go against a rule or promise of trust.
In a Sentence: Sharing that secret broke the friend code.
Other Ways to Say: Betray agreement, Disobey the rules
47. Count on
Meaning: To trust or rely on someone.
In a Sentence: You can always count on her to help in a crisis.
Other Ways to Say: Depend on, Rely on
48. Live up to expectations
Meaning: To behave in a way that earns or maintains trust.
In a Sentence: He worked hard to live up to his parents’ trust.
Other Ways to Say: Meet expectations, Honor faith
49. Not let someone down
Meaning: To meet someone’s trust by doing what’s expected.
In a Sentence: I promised I’d be there and I won’t let you down.
Other Ways to Say: Come through, Keep your promise
50. Keep someone in the loop
Meaning: To keep someone informed and involved, showing trust.
In a Sentence: Thanks for keeping me in the loop—I feel trusted and valued.
Other Ways to Say: Include, Share information
Practice Activity
Fill in the blanks:
- I trust her because she always keeps her ________.
- We put our ________ in the team leader to guide us.
- I gave him my ________ that I would not tell anyone.
- He really went out on a ________ by backing that risky idea.
- You can ________ on me to keep your secret.
- She finally came ________ about what really happened at the meeting.
- He earned the team’s ________ by showing up and helping every time.
- I don’t trust her stories—I take them with a grain of ________.
- When everyone doubted me, my best friend still had my ________.
- The teacher told us to keep it under our ________ and not share the surprise.
Answers:
word, trust, word, limb, count, clean, trust, salt, back, hats
Conclusion
Trust is something we build over time, and once it’s there, it helps relationships grow stronger and feel more secure. Idioms about trust give us creative ways to talk about how we feel—whether we’re relying on someone, questioning honesty, or rebuilding after trust is broken.
By learning and using these expressions, you can make your conversations more meaningful and your messages more clear. The next time you talk about trusting someone, try using one of these idioms. With practice, they’ll become a natural part of your everyday language, helping you express your thoughts with clarity and confidence.
