mustier; mustiest
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 adverb
mustiness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for musty

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.
First up, avoid musty smells by moving towels to the dryer as soon as the wash cycle is complete. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 July 2025 On July 12, after days of continuous rain, a musty heat spread across the Chicago region and temperatures soared with a record-high heat index of about 126 degrees. Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025 In water, these compounds are responsible for the musty, moldy taste that indicates that water isn’t safe to drink. Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 12 June 2025 Signs that a sauna needs to be cleaned include foul or musty odors, visible dirt, and/or the appearance of mold or mildew. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Musty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musty. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

musty

adjective
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

More from Merriam-Webster on musty

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