rustier; rustiest
Synonyms of rustynext
1
: affected by or as if by rust
especially : stiff with or as if with rust
2
: not as good or quick as usual or as in the past because of lack of practice or use
3
a
: of the color rust
b
: dulled in color or appearance by age and use
rusty old boots
4
: outmoded
rusty jokes
5
rustier; rustiest
chiefly dialectal

Examples of rusty in a Sentence

Adjective (1) rusty laws still on the books because no one bothered to repeal them in a rusty voice the old man ordered us off his land
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Carrick won more points than any Premier League manager following his return to Old Trafford in January, but that was in a temporary capacity; the first competitive fixture of yet another new era concludes with a rusty old cannonball to the stomach. George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The kitchen itself, though, feels fairly unused—one tap wasn’t working, the cutlery was slightly rusty, and the whole setup had a ramshackle quality. Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 But a deep partial eclipse can be stranger because one bright sliver remains outside the darkest part of Earth's shadow while the rest of the moon turns dim and rusty. Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026 From mighty Rice’s whales to the humble rusty patched bumblebee, the 1973 act protects more than 1,600 listed endangered and threatened species and their habitats. Medara Udoekong, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (2)

alteration of restive

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rusty was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rusty. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

rusty

adjective
ˈrəs-tē
rustier; rustiest
1
: affected by or as if by rust
2
: less skilled and slow through lack of practice or old age
3
: of the color rust
rustily
-tə-lē
adverb
rustiness
-tē-nəs
noun
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