staleness

noun

Definition of stalenessnext
as in mustiness

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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 staleness 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 By clamping the bag shut, the clips help keep air and moisture out, which slows staleness and helps food stay fresh longer. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026 That seal keeps air and moisture out, which slows staleness. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 And, yet, there is a tangible sense of staleness, even with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro the only remaining players from the Heat’s 2020 run to the NBA Finals and those two plus Dru Smith and Nikola Jovic the lone remaining players from the 2023 run to the NBA Finals. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026 For December 31 fiscal year-end companies, the February audit staleness deadline already creates predictable first-quarter pressure. — Joseph Lucosky, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 The smart shopper will already note signs of staleness and mold in the old practice of a singer in stiff white tie and tails or gaudy gown, standing, arm propped on piano, of the second banana accompanist. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026 Consider this a magical opportunity to escape the staleness of fall. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staleness
  1. mustiness
  2. rancidity
  3. stench
  4. funk
  5. badness
  6. reek
Noun
  • 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
Definition of mustiness
Noun
  • Oxidation, rancidity, and fat separation all happen faster when ambient temperatures rise.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 1 July 2026
  • Keep nuts, seeds, and whole-wheat flour in the freezer to avoid rancidity and extend freshness.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
Definition of rancidity
Noun
  • But in the weeks since, the stench of rotting food has drifted into nearby neighborhoods.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
  • Of the powerful smell a decomposing body produces, Ho noted the stench was noticeable down the hall from the autopsy room.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
Definition of stench
Noun
  • Has the two-time All-Star fully emerged from his season-long funk?
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Rather than a concert, Benton envisioned the evening as a community dance party featuring four veteran Kansas City DJs spinning classic funk, R&B and early hip-hop.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of funk
Noun
  • On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.
    — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
  • The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of badness
Noun
  • My teenager has begun using a fragrance product that is so potent that the entire house reeks.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
  • Pro-housing groups have pointed to the influence of Heebner and other North County leaders to say the new maps’ treatment of Solana Beach and Oceanside reeks of political influence.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
Definition of reek

Browse Nearby Words

stalemates
staleness
Stalinism
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Cite this Entry

“Staleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staleness. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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