dusty

adjective

ˈdə-stē 

dustier; dustiest

1

: covered or abounding with dust

2

: consisting of dust : powdery

3

: resembling dust

4

: lacking vitality : dry

dusty scholarship

5

British : unsatisfactory

—used especially in the phrases dusty answer and not so dusty

dustily

ˈdə-stə-lē 

adverb

dustiness

ˈdə-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of dusty

• fine
• powdery

Examples of dusty in a Sentence

He pulled dusty candlesticks from the shelf.

His new tie is a dusty blue.

Recent Examples on the Web

The walls of huts on dusty landscapes in the Lost Legends are weathered, characters' clothing is visibly dirty from jetting around the galaxy and helmets are battle damaged. — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

When titles started disappearing from their digital collections, however, those dusty stacks reemerged as both a critical contingency plan and material proof that the media business was changing. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Their Victorian house looks preposterous in this dusty hamlet. — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026

Miners flooded the dusty flats surrounding this area after three Irish prospectors, who had immigrated to Australia in the hopes of making their fortunes, accidentally stumbled across gold while looking for water in 1893. — Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dusty

• dusty miller

Rhymes for dusty

• crusty
• gusty
• lusty
• musty
• rusty
• trusty

Kids Definition

dusty

adjective

ˈdəs-tē 

dustier; dustiest

1

: filled or covered with dust

2

: resembling dust

dusty soil

dustily

-tə-lē 

adverb

dustiness

-tē-nəs 

noun