FROWSTY Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

frowsty

adjective

ˈfrau̇-stē

Definition of frowsty

chiefly British

as in stinking

having an unpleasant smell she wrote her first novel while living in a frowsty, mold-ridden flat

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowsty

Adjective

For this argument Thomasine was jailed—stuffed into a damp, stinking, deadly stone cell crawling with rats and lice—to force her to change her beliefs.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.

— Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026

Definition of stinking

Adjective

Bountiful seafood pastas are the specialty, but do save some space here or elsewhere for a dessert of po’e, a sweet, dense sponge cake made from mashed ripe bananas.

— Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
The infants would be able to feed to their stomachs’ content on the increasingly ripe meat without getting close to finishing the entire spread laid before them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of ripe

Adjective

Lenker, in plaid, rubs her eyes; James Krivchenia leans forward, sparky and alert; Meek, outdoors in the Topanga sunshine, wears cycling glasses and a frowzy hat.

— Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Sep. 2025
Before the current renovation of the franchised hotels, the rooms looked as if they were stuck in a fussy, frowsy 1980s floral rut.

— BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Oct. 2019

Definition of frowsy

Adjective

Delicate glass vessels suspended by metal and connected by pipes gather condensation that drips into a pool of fetid water.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
However, the Mariners play in the AL West, a fetid swamp of baseball disappointment.

— Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of fetid

Adjective

Mark Birley was a visionary who realized that the younger generation was becoming prosperous but didn’t want to sit in fusty rooms smoking cigars.

— Mark Cecil, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
After its electrifying premiere, there were quickly reports that A24 is focused on a Best Picture campaign for the film in large part because the Academy’s fusty Documentary Branch may opt not to nominate it for Best Documentary Feature.

— Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of fusty

Adjective

Feast on fresh fruits, pastries, cold cuts, omelettes, and traditional foul mudammas while traversing the ancient waterway.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
Who hasn’t airballed a foul shot in front of a Catholic school auditorium filled with 50 people on a Saturday morning?

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of foul

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.

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“Frowsty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowsty. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of frowsty

adjective

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