lusty

adjective

ˈlə-stē 

lustier; lustiest

1

archaic : merry, joyous

2

: lustful

lusty passion

3

a

: full of strength and vitality : healthy, vigorous

… a young, lusty, growing country …

—Helen Harris

b

: hearty, robust

a lusty beef stew

c

: enthusiastic, rousing

a lusty rendition of the song

lustily

ˈlə-stə-lē 

adverb

lustiness

ˈlə-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of lusty

• energetic
• vigorous
• dynamic
• robust
• lively
• powerful

Choose the Right Synonym for lusty

vigorous, energetic, strenuous, lusty, nervous mean having or showing great vitality and force.

vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness.

as vigorous as a youth half his age

energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

Examples of lusty in a Sentence

the lusty young rowers on the college crew team

a lusty spirit of adventure

Recent Examples on the Web

Oscar and Emmy winner Julianne Moore is set to play the title role in Faydra, a lusty new play by In the Next Room Tony nominee Sarah Ruhl that will have its world premiere Off Broadway next year. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026

Langley’s closest sonic predecessor, Kacey Musgraves, has long searched for transcendence—though in more woo-woo terms than Langley does, and with (on Musgraves’s lusty new album) the sort of neediness that often gets written off as cringe. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026

When the Iranian national anthem began, it was greeted by a chorus of lusty boos. — Alex Connor, USA Today, 16 June 2026

In the 18th century, lusty also meant insolent, which might have conveyed Anderson’s frustrations with Dina’s unwillingness to accept his authority over her. — Carolyn Zola, The Conversation, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lusty

• crusty
• dusty
• gusty
• musty
• rusty
• trusty

Kids Definition

lusty

adjective

ˈləs-tē 

lustier; lustiest

: full of vitality : vigorous, robust

lustily

-tə-lē 

adverb

lustiness

-tē-nəs 

noun