rusty
adjective (1)To save this word, you'll need to log in.
\ ˈrə-stē 
\
\rustier; rustiest
Definition of rusty
(Entry 1 of 2)
rusty
adjective (2)rus·ty | \ ˈrə-stē \
\rustier; rustiest
Definition of rusty (Entry 2 of 2)
chiefly dialectal
: ill-natured, surly
Other Words from rusty
Adjective (1)
rustily \ ˈrə-stə-lē \ adverb
\ adverbrustiness \ ˈrə-stē-nəs \ noun
\ nounKeep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for rusty
rusty
adjective\ ˈrə-stē \
\rustier; rustiest
Kids Definition of rusty
1 : affected by rust
a rusty nail
2 : less skilled and slow through lack of practice or use
Living alone on a mountain … your speaking voice gets rusty.— Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on rusty
What made you want to look up rusty? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
More Confusing Words—Quiz
- The magician
______moved the selected card to the top of the deck.
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- More Confusing Words—Quiz
How many of these commonly confused words do you know?
Take the quiz - Name that Thing: Toys and Games Edition
It's all fun and games until someone beats your high score.
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share rusty
Time Traveler for rusty
The first known use of rusty was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century