MUSTINESS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

mustiness

noun

Definition of mustiness

as in staleness

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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 mustiness Do a Baking Soda Soak or Wash For stubborn mustiness, Salveson recommends adding 1/2 cup of baking soda directly into the drum with the sheets (not the dispenser) and washing on warm. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026 Along with sending any bad odors out, the fresh air is also a great way to circulate any mustiness and help clear out any lingering germs that may be in the air. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 31 May 2026 With their high linen content, the sheets exuded no mustiness, only the faint sweet smell of aged paper. — Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026 The film, which screenwriter Rowan Joffé adapted from a 2014 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, seems aware of the orientalist mustiness of this premise without being compelled to subvert it in any meaningful way. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mustiness

Noun

Occasional callbacks to actual Curb bits only draw attention to the material’s staleness.

— Judy Berman, Time, 24 June 2026
But Thomson, fairly or unfairly, became the symbol of a staleness that overcame the Phillies, who have lost eight of their last 10 postseason games while increasing their regular-season wins each of the last three seasons.

— Matt Gelb, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

Definition of staleness

Noun

For the longest time, the residents of Val Verde could not find a lawyer willing to fight the landfill enveloping their neighborhood in clouds of stench.

— Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
The entire competition now has the unmistakable stench of corruption all over it.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026

Definition of stench

Noun

The funk and rock sounds fight against ever-encroaching mud and hiss; pretty melodies are offset by punishing bass or rendered disorienting by creative panning in the mix.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026
If Virtus keeps the pedal down on the distribution, shares might finally snap out of their funk.

— Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of funk

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must-haves

mustiness

musts

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“Mustiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mustiness. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mustiness

noun

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