Trust vs. Loyalty — What's the Difference?

Confidence in the reliability or truth of someone/something.

Faithfulness or allegiance to someone or something.

A firm reliance on someone's character or promises.

Steadfastness in supporting a person, cause, or institution.

Assurance based on past experience.

A strong feeling of allegiance resulting from shared experiences or values.

Entrusting something to someone as a responsibility.

A commitment to someone even in the face of challenges.

Firm belief in the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing; confidence or reliance

Prioritizing someone or something over others.

The condition and resulting obligation of having confidence placed in one

Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another human being can be the object of loyalty.

One in which confidence is placed.

The quality of being loyal

Custody; care

The state or quality of being loyal.

Something committed into the care of another; a charge

Often loyalties A feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection

Reliance on something in the future; hope

The state of being loyal; fidelity.

Reliance on the intention and ability of a purchaser to pay in the future; credit

Faithfulness or devotion to some person, cause or nation.

A legal relationship in which one party holds a title to property while another party has the entitlement to the beneficial use of that property.

The state or quality of being loyal; fidelity to a superior, or to duty, love, etc.

The confidence reposed in a trustee when giving the trustee legal title to property to administer for another, together with the trustee's obligation regarding that property and the beneficiary.

The quality of being loyal

The property so held.

Feelings of allegiance

An institution or organization directed by trustees

The act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action;

A combination of firms or corporations for the purpose of reducing competition and controlling prices throughout a business or industry.

To have or place confidence in; depend on

To have confidence in allowing (someone) to use, know, or look after something

To expect with assurance; assume

To give credence to; believe

To place in the care of another person or in a situation deemed safe; entrust

To extend credit to.

To have or place reliance; depend

To be confident; hope.

Confidence in or reliance on some person or quality.

Dependence upon something in the future; hope.

Confidence in the future payment for goods or services supplied; credit.

That which is committed or entrusted; something received in confidence; a charge.

That upon which confidence is reposed; ground of reliance; hope.

(rare) Trustworthiness, reliability.

The condition or obligation of one to whom anything is confided; responsible charge or office.

(legal) The confidence vested in a person who has legal ownership of a property to manage for the benefit of another.

(legal) An arrangement whereby property or money is given to be held by a third party (a trustee), on the basis that it will be managed for the benefit of, or eventually transferred to, a stated beneficiary; for example, money to be given to a child when he or she reaches adulthood.

A group of businessmen or traders organised for mutual benefit to produce and distribute specific commodities or services, and managed by a central body of trustees.

(computing) Affirmation of the access rights of a user of a computer system.

(transitive) To place confidence in, to rely on, to confide in.

To have faith in; to rely on for continuing support or aid.

(transitive) To give credence to; to believe; to credit.

(transitive) To hope confidently; to believe (usually with a phrase or infinitive clause as the object)

(transitive) to show confidence in a person by entrusting them with something.

(transitive) To commit, as to one's care; to entrust.

(transitive) To give credit to; to sell to upon credit, or in confidence of future payment.

To rely on (something), as though having trust (on it).

To risk; to venture confidently.

(intransitive) To have trust; to be credulous; to be won to confidence; to confide.

To sell or deliver anything in reliance upon a promise of payment; to give credit.

(obsolete) Secure, safe.

(obsolete) Faithful, dependable.

(legal) of or relating to a trust.

Assured resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principle, of another person; confidence; reliance; reliance.

Credit given; especially, delivery of property or merchandise in reliance upon future payment; exchange without immediate receipt of an equivalent; as, to sell or buy goods on trust.

Assured anticipation; dependence upon something future or contingent, as if present or actual; hope; belief.

That which is committed or intrusted to one; something received in confidence; charge; deposit.

The condition or obligation of one to whom anything is confided; responsible charge or office.

That upon which confidence is reposed; ground of reliance; hope.

An estate devised or granted in confidence that the devisee or grantee shall convey it, or dispose of the profits, at the will, or for the benefit, of another; an estate held for the use of another; a confidence respecting property reposed in one person, who is termed the trustee, for the benefit of another, who is called the cestui que trust.

An equitable right or interest in property distinct from the legal ownership thereof; a use (as it existed before the Statute of Uses); also, a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another. Trusts are active, or special, express, implied, constructive, etc. In a passive trust the trustee simply has title to the trust property, while its control and management are in the beneficiary.

A business organization or combination consisting of a number of firms or corporations operating, and often united, under an agreement creating a trust (in sense 1), esp. one formed mainly for the purpose of regulating the supply and price of commodities, etc.; often, opprobriously, a combination formed for the purpose of controlling or monopolizing a trade, industry, or business, by doing acts in restraint or trade; as, a sugar trust. A trust may take the form of a corporation or of a body of persons or corporations acting together by mutual arrangement, as under a contract or a so-called gentlemen's agreement. When it consists of corporations it may be effected by putting a majority of their stock either in the hands of a board of trustees (whence the name trust for the combination) or by transferring a majority to a holding company. The advantages of a trust are partly due to the economies made possible in carrying on a large business, as well as the doing away with competition. In the United States severe statutes against trusts have been passed by the Federal government and in many States, with elaborate statutory definitions.

Held in trust; as, trust property; trustmoney.

To place confidence in; to rely on, to confide, or repose faith, in; as, we can not trust those who have deceived us.

To give credence to; to believe; to credit.

To hope confidently; to believe; - usually with a phrase or infinitive clause as the object.

To show confidence in a person by intrusting (him) with something.

To commit, as to one's care; to intrust.

To give credit to; to sell to upon credit, or in confidence of future payment; as, merchants and manufacturers trust their customers annually with goods.

To risk; to venture confidently.

To have trust; to be credulous; to be won to confidence; to confide.

To be confident, as of something future; to hope.

To sell or deliver anything in reliance upon a promise of payment; to give credit.

Something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary);

Certainty based on past experience;

The trait of trusting; of believing in the honesty and reliability of others;

A consortium of independent organizations formed to limit competition by controlling the production and distribution of a product or service;

Complete confidence in a person or plan etc;

A trustful relationship;

Have confidence or faith in;

Allow without fear

Be confident about something;

Expect and wish;

Confer a trust upon;

Extend credit to

Belief that someone will act in a fair and responsible way.

Standing by someone during challenges or prioritizing their interests often indicates loyalty.

Trust is built over time through consistent actions, reliability, and honesty.

While challenging, trust can be rebuilt over time with genuine remorse and consistent trustworthy actions.

Yes, one can trust someone based on their reliability but might not have a deep allegiance or loyalty to them.

Loyalty in relationships manifests as steadfast support, prioritizing the relationship, and standing by during challenges.

While uncommon, loyalty can sometimes persist even when trust has been compromised, often due to shared experiences or deep-seated affections.

Yes, sometimes people trust based on gut feelings or intuition, even without prior evidence.

Misplaced loyalty, especially to harmful individuals or causes, can be detrimental.

Trust can be gauged by one's willingness to rely on someone without doubt, based on their past actions and character.

While often based on past experiences, trust can also arise from intuition, reputation, or known character traits.

Betrayal, lies, or inconsistency can rapidly erode trust.

Loyalty is seen as a commitment and steadfastness, demonstrating one's character and integrity.

Yes, in many relationships, both trust and loyalty coexist, strengthening the bond between individuals.

Yes, loyalty can evolve based on changing circumstances, values, or experiences.

Not always. One can show loyalty to someone who doesn't reciprocate it.