Definition of mustynext
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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 But even the best secondhand finds have one thing in common: that musty thrift store smell. Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2026 For truly musty sheets, follow the rewash instructions above. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026 And a fungus may be present if the grass has circular, spreading spots with a musty smell. Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 11 June 2026 Strange noises or smells: Grinding noises or musty smells indicate that there could be a system failure. Kat Tretina, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for musty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musty
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
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • In some cases, praise took on overtly stereotyped forms: words like 'love' were used disproportionately with female students, while 'powerful' appeared only for Black students.
    Rachel del Guidice, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • It was given a $31 million overhaul in full-on 18th-century Provençal style by the Airelles Collection in 2014, but managed to emerge classic yet not clichéd, formal but not fusty.
    Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
  • But dismissing it as fusty would be an unfortunate act of self-deprivation.
    Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Hollywood Plot Lines and Reality These are the tired questions every UFO skeptic asks.
    Adam Frank, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • If your complexion tends to look flat or tired by midday, this powder can help bring back some radiance.
    Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • Inspired by bare skin, ripe fruit, and long days in the sun, the fragrance pairs juicy fig, pear, and bergamot with creamy coconut, jasmine, vanilla, and musks for a scent that feels like a tropical getaway bottled up.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 June 2026
  • The warmer, lower vineyards of San Casciano, nearer Florence, lean towards soft, ripe and approachable fruit.
    Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • The Heat also has the ability to purchase an additional second-round pick or sell its second-round selection, which has become commonplace over the years.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • Rather than being exceptions, such landmarks are commonplace in Cambridge.
    Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Inspect fences and perform any repairs or maintenance, such as reinforcing posts or replacing rotted sections.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
  • Many grapes become too rotted and are left to wither away.
    John Mariani, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.
    Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Musty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musty. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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