Synonyms of moist

moist

adjective

ˈmȯist 

as in damp

slightly or moderately wet

luckily, my new suede shoes are only a bit moist after I accidentally wore them in the rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damp
• humid
• dank
• dampish
• dripping
• soaked
• soaking
• wettish
• dewy
• steeped
• misty
• saturated
• clammy
• sticky
• soggy
• washed
• muggy
• tropical
• watered
• waterlogged
• sodden
• drenched
• bathed
• sweltering
• sopping
• semimoist
• summery
• sultry
• torrid
• water-soaked
• saturate
• awash
• soppy
• doused
• soused

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dry
• arid
• waterless
• dehydrated
• baked
• droughty
• dusty
• burned
• scorched
• bone-dry
• parched
• desert
• sunbaked
• sere
• seared
• watertight
• waterproof
• water-resistant
• hyperarid
• ultradry
• water-repellent

Synonym Chooser

How is the word moist distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of moist are damp, dank, humid, and wet. While all these words mean "covered or more or less soaked with liquid," moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

When might damp be a better fit than moist?

The words damp and moist are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When is it sensible to use dank instead of moist?

The meanings of dank and moist largely overlap; however, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

Where would humid be a reasonable alternative to moist?

Although the words humid and moist have much in common, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

When can wet be used instead of moist?

The words wet and moist can be used in similar contexts, but wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry.

slipped on the wet pavement

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of moist

In general, atmospheric rivers pick up water vapor from the warm, moist air of tropical regions and then drop the water over land in cooler regions as rain or snow. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025

It is found throughout California in moist environments, whether meadow or woodland. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025

At the café in St. Thomas-Kirchhof in southern Neukölln, cakes come in generous rectangular slabs: an exceptionally moist carrot cake and seasonal offerings like zwetschgenkuchen, a yeasted plum cake. —Diana Hubbell, Saveur, 16 Oct. 2025

The easy-to-read meter is color-coded into three categories: red for dry, green for moist, and blue for wet. —Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025