RUSTY Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

rusty

adjective

ˈrə-stē

Definition of rusty

as in archaic

having passed its time of use or usefulness rusty laws still on the books because no one bothered to repeal them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hoarse

harsh and dry in sound in a rusty voice the old man ordered us off his land

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rusty If your dishwasher tines have lost their coating and now have rusty, crusty tips, there’s a cap for that! — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 Lining up on the left side of a midfield pivot with Lucas Bergvall, Tonali was a little rusty in the opening few minutes of the game. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 Hardy recalled seeing Dale painting a rusty fertilizer tank in that barn in the days after Dee vanished. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 The screaming engine bounced under a rusty white hood that appeared to be fastened in place by a bungee cord. — Literary Hub, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rusty

Adjective

And the rest is public perception, which has shifted against what many Americans see as a dirty, archaic form of power generation.

— Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Now, if the league would drop its archaic blackout rules, this would be a lot easier for everyone.

— Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of archaic

Adjective

Workers also reported hoarse voices, chronic coughs and asthma-like symptoms.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
When 39 days of elite physical punishment concluded with stadium lights dimming across North America, millions of fans limped away from watch parties with hoarse voices and sore feet.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoarse

Adjective

The key difference between these projects and the more artisanal ones being embraced by China and others is that their purpose remains primarily legalistic, focused on achieving change by adhering to increasingly obsolete frameworks.

— Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
This doesn’t make information architecture obsolete by any means.

— Dave Foster, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of obsolete

Adjective

His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
Pangan remembers of Brun, imitating his gruff voice, and shaking her head.

— Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of gruff

Adjective

The revisions by Takaichi's government to the antiquated law is meant to solidify the principle of the crucial imperial bloodline but pushes aside the emperor’s daughter.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Viewed through a 2026 lens, this now antiquated process seems like a herculean undertaking, one that somehow worked.

— Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of antiquated

Adjective

Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
The extravagant, hi-NRG single showcased the breadth of Tyler’s husky grandeur, which proved a perfect fit for Giorgio Moroder.

— Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

Definition of husky

Adjective

Divination practices often use Tarot cards or the ogham alphabet, which was originally employed in early medieval Irish and Pictish inscriptions.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
StemRad engineers, though, figured dressing as a medieval knight doesn’t really get you all that much.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of medieval

Adjective

So when the 36-year-old was pronounced dead in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday, shock and grief stretched around the world.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics saw its shares jump as much as 629% during its Wednesday market debut in Shanghai—an eye-popping rally that pushed 36-year-old chairman and CEO Wang Xingxing’s net worth to $16 billion.

— Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of old

Browse Nearby Words

rusts

rusty

rut

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“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rusty. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of rusty

adjective

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