rustier; rustiest
1
: affected by or as if by rust
especially : stiff with or as if with rust
2
: inept and slow through lack of practice or old age
3
a
: of the color rust
b
: dulled in color or appearance by age and use
rusty old boots
4
5
rustily adverb
rustiness noun

rusty

2 of 2

adjective (2)

rus·​ty ˈrə-stē How to pronounce rusty (audio)
rustier; rustiest
chiefly dialectal

Examples of rusty in a Sentence

Adjective (1) rusty laws still on the books because no one bothered to repeal them in a rusty voice the old man ordered us off his land
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.
Adjective
Don’t depend on rusty pipes or faucets, drains or pumps that don’t work. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025 The walls will be covered with rusty knives, machetes and other terrifying tools that could be easily turned into deadly weapons. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025 Bringing in some rusty orange tones to steer clear of a ghost-like countenance, Freedman placed Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Cheek Tint in shade 42 on her cheeks, a secret ingredient in his recipe for glass skin veneer. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 30 July 2025 Now, 29 years after winning his first tour championship, retired golfer Happy Gilmore, despite being quite rusty, returns to the sport to pay for his daughter Vienna's ballet school. Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (2)

alteration of restive

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rusty was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rusty. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

rusty

adjective
ˈrəs-tē
rustier; rustiest
1
: affected by or as if by rust
2
: less skilled and slow through lack of practice or old age
3
: of the color rust
rustily
-tə-lē
adverb
rustiness
-tē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rusty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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