as in mustiness
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Recent Examples of staleness
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
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
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
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
Noun
-
With their high linen content, the sheets exuded no mustiness, only the faint sweet smell of aged paper.—
Literary Hub,
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
Noun
-
Foods or dietary supplements rich in unsaturated fats (such as fish and fish oils) are more prone to rancidity.—
Ayesha Gulzar,
Verywell Health,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
In October 2025, there was a strong stench at the Inner Harbor.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
But like that thong peeking out of jeans and the stench of cloves stuck in clothes, not every trend should see a revival.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For a while, SDFC had been emerging from its funk.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
As Gavin Rossdale waves goodbye to the crowd, jet on over to HelloFresh to catch the 30-or-so minutes remaining in the set from Mexican retro-funk-pop-electronic act Midnight Generation.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
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
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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
Noun
-
This week’s special legislative session reeks of imperialism.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Desperate or not, what the show does reek of is money (apparently about $25 million).—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staleness. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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