Phrase guide

trust, but verify

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

phrase

Meaning 1

One should have general faith in the benevolent intentions of others, but ultimately one can only rely on things that have been verified.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of Russian доверя́й, но проверя́й (doverjáj, no proverjáj). Often attributed to Vladimir Lenin, although no written evidence exists. Popularized in English by Ronald Reagan in the context of nuclear disarmament.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ثِقْ وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقْ (ṯiq walākin tuḥaqqiq) — Translations
  • Arabic: ثِقِي وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقِي (ṯiqī walākin tuḥaqqiqī) — Translations
  • Chinese: 信任,但要核实 — Translations
  • Czech: důvěřuj, ale prověřuj — Translations
  • French: faites confiance, mais vérifiez — Translations
  • German: Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser — Translations
  • German: Vertraue, aber prüfe nach — Translations
  • Persian: اعتماد کن، ولی راستیآزمایی کن — Translations
  • Polish: ufaj, ale sprawdzaj — Translations
  • Portuguese: confia, mas confira — Translations
  • Russian: доверя́й, но проверя́й (doverjáj, no proverjáj) — Translations
  • Spanish: confía, pero verifica — Translations