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
Names scratched into the rusty walls are a bad sign. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025 The renovation by the New York interior designer Josh Greene, 45, has earth tones and rusty marble kitchen counters, a spalike bathroom and a powder room. Craig Kellogg Ashok Sinha, New York Times, 16 May 2025 Read Next World Gardener spots odd ‘lump’ in yard — and finds rusty old weapon in Norway. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025 If you’re rusty on bar etiquette or self-conscious about how to act on a night out, John deBary is here to help. Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 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 22 May. 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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