Definition of fustynext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fusty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fusty are fetid, malodorous, musty, noisome, putrid, rank, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

When can malodorous be used instead of fusty?

While the synonyms malodorous and fusty are close in meaning, malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

Where would noisome be a reasonable alternative to fusty?

The meanings of noisome and fusty largely overlap; however, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When is it sensible to use putrid instead of fusty?

The synonyms putrid and fusty are sometimes interchangeable, but putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

When would rank be a good substitute for fusty?

In some situations, the words rank and fusty are roughly equivalent. However, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How are the words stinking and fetid related as synonyms of fusty?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fusty The strategy has worked—the film is doing well at the box office—but Chalamet’s energy has vibed uncomfortably with the fusty atmosphere of awards-season campaigning, where glad-handing with showbiz retirees and eating rubber chicken at galas is still very much the norm. David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026 Little girls in fusty dresses tend to a fleet of baby dolls. Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025 Classical French cuisine found a new audience across London, Paris, and New York—and once-fusty sauces were something worth naming on the menu again. Joel Hart, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025 Now the New York Historical (a rebranding last year dropped both fussy hyphen and fusty noun) is achieving its deferred ambitions, with a hundred-and-seventy-five-million-dollar expansion. Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fusty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fusty
Adjective
  • Not only is Earth's closest celestial neighbor a pristine time capsule ripe for study – preserved almost unaltered throughout the course of billions of years – but the moon is viewed as a stepping stone for human exploration deeper into the cosmos.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Alongside ripe avocados, fresh tomatoes, and spices, this dip is topped with queso blanco and pomegranate seeds.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Adjective
  • Use warm air and UV rays outside to naturally disinfect fabrics, make white clothes brighter, and get rid of musty odors, all while leaving behind a unique scent from fresh air that can’t be replicated in the dryer.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 June 2026
  • But even the best secondhand finds have one thing in common: that musty thrift store smell.
    Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • Besides food particles being trapped in the dishwasher, mold and mildew can also cause a smelly dishwasher.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
  • Add a new dryer sheet to smelly shoes and boots to help freshen them.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • Skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses.
    Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
  • Be advised that only a small fraction of arums are malodorous.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Adjective
  • Human remains were found in the chimney of a public school in Queens, New York, on Tuesday morning while officials were investigating a foul odor, according to police.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • While some of the Dutch pleaded for a foul, Gakpo raced in to score on the rebound.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Let’s respect and appreciate nature in all its messy, sometimes stinky beauty at the cove.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2026
  • Your bath towels and stinky socks should probably be washed in warm.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
    Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026
  • Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fusty. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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