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

Say goodbye to dusty interiors and read on for our top picks for the best cordless stick vacuums, spin mops, and two-in-one vac-and-mop robot vacs. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026

After school hours, makeshift football pitches appear suddenly on dusty patches of land while small clearings and undeveloped plots become informal playgrounds. — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Aug. 2026

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu along side their colleagues at IIT Kanpur used supercomputer simulations to understand the microscopic roots of chaos in specialized state of matter called dusty plasma. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Green nails are trending for fall, with shades like emerald, dusty sage, and chartreuse being popular choices. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Aug. 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