musty

adjective

ˈmə-stē How to pronounce musty (audio)
mustier; mustiest
Synonyms of musty
1
a
: impaired by damp or mildew : moldy
old musty books
musty hay
b
: tasting of mold
musty wine
c
: smelling of damp and decay : fusty
The cellar was musty.
2
a
: trite, stale
musty prose
b(1)
: antiquated
musty customs
(2)
: superannuated
musty slang
mustily
ˈmə-stə-lē How to pronounce musty (audio)
adverb
mustiness
ˈmə-stē-nəs How to pronounce musty (audio)
noun

Synonyms of musty

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malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling.

malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

Examples of musty in a Sentence

a dark and musty basement the musty prose of writers who use the same expressions over and over
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rarely has a film so resourcefully evoked the transportive but decidedly analog thrill of reading; rarely has the warmly musty smell of research libraries and archives somehow wafted with such sense-memory precision off a cinema screen. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 Left unchecked, mold and mildew can persist on fabrics even after washing, spreading a musty odor through an entire load. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026 As a bonus, this can also clear musty mildew and other buildup. — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 27 Aug. 2026 Add Vinegar If your towel has a musty smell, adding white vinegar to the wash during the next cycle may do the trick. — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for musty

Word History

Etymology

must entry 4

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of musty was in 1530

Rhymes for musty

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Browse Nearby Words

must-see
musty
Musulman
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Cite this Entry

“Musty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musty. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

musty

adjective
ˈməs-tē How to pronounce musty (audio)
mustier; mustiest
1
a
: affected by dampness or mildew : moldy
b
: tasting or smelling of dampness and decay
2
a
: stale entry 1 sense 2, trite
musty proverbs
b
: outmoded, antiquated
musty traditions
mustiness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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