trust, but verify

phrase

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

OriginRussian доверя́й, но проверя́й →
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Meanings

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

    Trust but verify—plain and simple. Well, mostly just verify, as the objective record removes the vulnerability of getting cheated.

    2014, David DeSteno, The Truth About Trust: How It Determines Success in Life, Love, Learning, and More, Penguin, →ISBN, page 97
    2 more examples

    Before affixing his signature, Reagan also told the Soviet leader — and reassured congressional conservatives worried about Kremlin compliance — that he would follow the Russian adage to "trust, but verify."

    1987 December 9, Thom Shanker, “Battle turns gentle with proverbs galore”, in Chicago Tribune

    If I had blindly fulfilled her first request, it would have inconvenienced many other users and wouldn't have solved the problem. Never forget this phrase - “trust, but verify.”

    2013, Kelly C Bourne, Application Administrators Handbook: Installing, Updating and Troubleshooting Software, Newnes, →ISBN, page 351

Origin

  1. Russianдоверя́й, но проверя́й
  2. Englishtrust, but verify

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.

More words from Russian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ثِقْ وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقْ, ثِقِي وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقِي
  • ثِقْ وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقْ (ṯiq walākin tuḥaqqiq)Translations
  • ثِقِي وَلٰكِن تُحَقِّقِي (ṯiqī walākin tuḥaqqiqī)Translations
Chinese 信任，但要核实
  • 信任，但要核实Translations
Czech důvěřuj, ale prověřuj
  • důvěřuj, ale prověřujTranslations
French faites confiance, mais vérifiez
  • faites confiance, mais vérifiezTranslations
German Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser, Vertraue, aber prüfe nach
  • Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besserTranslations
  • Vertraue, aber prüfe nachTranslations
  • trau, schau, wemTranslations
Persian اعتماد کن، ولی راستیآزمایی کن
  • اعتماد کن، ولی راستیآزمایی کنTranslations
Polish ufaj, ale sprawdzaj
  • ufaj, ale sprawdzajTranslations
Portuguese confia, mas confira
  • confia, mas confiraTranslations
Russian доверя́й, но проверя́й
  • доверя́й, но проверя́й (doverjáj, no proverjáj)Translations
Spanish confía, pero verifica
  • confía, pero verificaTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

trust, but verify. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trust%2C%20but%20verify

MLA

“trust, but verify.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trust%2C%20but%20verify. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “trust, but verify,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trust%2C%20but%20verify.

Source: trust, but verify on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.