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Synonym Chooser

How is the word musty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of musty are fetid, fusty, malodorous, 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 is it sensible to use malodorous instead of musty?

The synonyms malodorous and musty are sometimes interchangeable, but malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

When would noisome be a good substitute for musty?

While in some cases nearly identical to musty, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

In what contexts can putrid take the place of musty?

The words putrid and musty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

When can rank be used instead of musty?

Although the words rank and musty have much in common, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How do stinking and fetid relate to one another, in the sense of musty?

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 musty Its filter is designed to capture 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns in size for cleaner, less musty air. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Apr. 2025 Spring runoff goes under the building, creating a musty smell. Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Apr. 2025 Highly prized for their versatility, mushrooms’ flavor profiles range from woodsy to nutty, musty to mild. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2025 The 65th Annual New York International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan this weekend may seem like a maze of musty rarities. Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for musty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musty
Adjective
  • This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
  • Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.
    Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019
Adjective
  • The steel frame is easy to wipe down, and the open design keeps it from trapping fusty odors.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Paradoxically, the most lucrative magazine today is likely the Costco Connection, which emerges monthly from the fusty and secretive Kirkland, WA, marketing empire.
    Peter Bart, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Their negative stereotyped reputation seems to follow them like ageism follows older employees or sexism follows female employees.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • At the time, Latinos were often cast in stereotyped roles with heavy accents and largely denied the opportunity to direct features.
    Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The time would seem to be ripe for the release of the aforementioned songs; reps for Cornell and the bandmembers did not immediately respond to Variety‘s requests for comment.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 May 2025
  • Going Wild Berry Picking Summer meant waiting until those wild berry bushes hidden in the woods near grandma's house were finally ripe for the picking.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Some victims are already tired of fighting this fight.
    Ashley Belanger – May 19, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
  • At the end of the tour, people were tired, so most people ended up returning to the hotel and getting lunch afterwards.
    Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Attacks like this are commonplace in today’s digital world, where efficiency-seeking employees can spin up new SaaS applications with push-button ease.
    Ofer Klein, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
  • Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won February’s election, but failed to pick up enough seats to govern outright – an outcome that is commonplace in Germany’s diverse political environment.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
Adjective
  • Yet these hackneyed qualities are minor aspects of a production that otherwise can be eye-opening and newly invigorating.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Its baleful guitar and hackneyed vocals make the average doubts shared by everyone who has ever been in love seem generic.
    Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Banned in Europe In addition to being a carcinogen, formaldehyde, a colorless and smelly gas, can cause rashes and can sicken those who breathe it in, according to the FDA.
    Ronnie Cohen, NPR, 8 May 2025
  • Usually, a smelly refrigerator is caused by specific foods inside it and how they're stored.
    Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Musty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musty. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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