musty

adjective

ˈmə-stē 

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

ˈmə-stə-lē 

adverb

mustiness

ˈmə-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• fetid
• foul
• frowsty [chiefly British]
• frowsy
• frowzy
• funky
• fusty
• malodorous
• noisome
• rank
• reeking
• reeky
• ripe
• smelly
• stenchy
• stinking
• stinky
• strong

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

Another warning sign is a moldy or musty smell: This can indicate plumbing issues within the walls, or moisture within the air conditioning unit or vents—both of which can be expensive to fix. —Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024

If the paper item has an undesirable musty smell, pour baking soda into a large plastic bag, put the paper item inside it, and seal it up. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024

Pull up a corner of the carpeting (both in the passenger compartment and trunk), to see if there’s water residue or stain marks, signs of rust, and evidence of mold or a musty odor. —Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024

The rooms are lit, often top-down, with a monotonous sameness that reminds of a musty nursing home where lamps operate on automatic timers. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

must entry 4

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

musty

adjective

ˈməs-tē 

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