breach of trust: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal / Legal / Professional
Quick answer
What does “breach of trust” mean?
A violation of a duty of responsibility or confidence placed in someone.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A violation of a duty of responsibility or confidence placed in someone.
A legal or ethical violation where someone entrusted with something (e.g., power, property, information) fails to act in the best interest of the person or entity that placed trust in them; a broken fiduciary duty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In legal contexts, both use the term identically. In everyday use, UK English may associate it slightly more with public office or journalism, while US English frequently ties it to corporate/fiduciary law. The concept is identical.
Connotations
Strongly negative; implies betrayal, failure of duty, and often carries legal or severe professional consequences.
Frequency
Higher frequency in legal and business contexts in both regions; slightly more common in UK media concerning political or public sector scandals.
Grammar
How to Use “breach of trust” in a Sentence
[Subject] committed a breach of trust.The [role/position] was found guilty of breach of trust.This action constitutes a breach of trust.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “breach of trust” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The solicitor was struck off for breaching his fiduciary trust.
- The MP breached the public's trust by leaking the documents.
American English
- The CEO breached her duty of trust to the shareholders.
- The agent breached his trust by secretly buying the property himself.
adjective
British English
- The breach-of-trust allegation was devastating to her career.
- They faced a breach-of-trust claim in the High Court.
American English
- The breach-of-trust lawsuit sought significant damages.
- His actions were deemed breach-of-trust conduct.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used when a director, agent, or employee misuses company assets or confidential information for personal gain.
Academic
Discussed in law, business ethics, political science, and sociology papers concerning fiduciary relationships and institutional failure.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used to describe serious betrayals in contexts like managing someone's money or secrets.
Technical
A specific tort or equitable wrong in common law; a cause of action against a trustee or fiduciary.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “breach of trust”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “breach of trust”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “breach of trust”
- Using it for minor personal disappointments (e.g., 'He was late, it was a breach of trust').
- Treating it as a verb phrase (*'He breached of trust'). Correct: 'He breached a trust' or 'committed a breach of trust'.
- Misspelling as 'breech of trust' (incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A breach of contract violates specific terms of an agreement. A breach of trust violates a fiduciary duty of loyalty and care, which may exist with or without a formal contract.
Yes, in many jurisdictions, particularly where it involves public officials or fraudulent conversion of property held in trust. It is often a civil wrong (tort) but can have criminal variants.
'Betrayal' is a broader, more emotional term for disloyalty in any relationship. 'Breach of trust' is a more specific, formal term implying a violation of a recognized duty in a professional, legal, or fiduciary relationship.
Anyone in a position of trust or fiduciary duty, such as trustees, company directors, lawyers, agents, guardians, executors, partners, and sometimes employees or public officials.
A violation of a duty of responsibility or confidence placed in someone.
Breach of trust is usually formal / legal / professional in register.
Breach of trust: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbriːtʃ əv ˈtrʌst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbritʃ əv ˈtrəst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To betray a trust”
- “To be in breach of one's fiduciary duty”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TRUST being a strong bridge. A BREACH is a hole smashed in that bridge, making it unsafe to cross.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUST IS A SOLID STRUCTURE (which can be breached/broken). FIDUCIARY DUTY IS A SACRED BOND (which can be severed).
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'breach of trust' used MOST appropriately?