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
: outmoded
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
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025
June 17, 2025 Updated 6:50 AM PT The truck carrying two men suspected of living in the country illegally was pinned between a white rusty fence and two border patrol vehicles near a busy intersection in Hawthorne.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
The rusty piece of ordnance turned out to be an unexploded World War II era practice bomb, a spokesperson for MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa told McClatchy News on June 16.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Or embossed cognac pants and a rusty black shacket brightened and slightly discomforted by a rose pink silk bag.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rusty
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
Seven-year-old Zeina roams the hills that surround her village on a rusty bike.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025
June 17, 2025 Updated 6:50 AM PT The truck carrying two men suspected of living in the country illegally was pinned between a white rusty fence and two border patrol vehicles near a busy intersection in Hawthorne.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
The rusty piece of ordnance turned out to be an unexploded World War II era practice bomb, a spokesperson for MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa told McClatchy News on June 16.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Or embossed cognac pants and a rusty black shacket brightened and slightly discomforted by a rose pink silk bag.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rusty
Cite this Entry
“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rusty. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share