rustier; rustiest
1
: affected by or as if by rust
especially : stiff with or as if with rust
2
: inept and slow through lack of practice or old age
3
a
: of the color rust
b
: dulled in color or appearance by age and use
rusty old boots
4
5
rustily adverb
rustiness noun

rusty

2 of 2

adjective (2)

rus·​ty ˈrə-stē How to pronounce rusty (audio)
rustier; rustiest
chiefly dialectal

Examples of rusty in a Sentence

Adjective (1) rusty laws still on the books because no one bothered to repeal them in a rusty voice the old man ordered us off his land
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
With warm wood and rusty hues complementing the wraparound sofa that anchors the living room, old meets new in this Old Hollywood space. Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Apr. 2025 Some breeze-block homes – like theirs – are in poor shape but habitable, their rusty satellite dishes gazing at hazy blue skies. Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2025 But the Razorbacks squeezed into the N.C.A.A. tournament, allowing Boogie the time to get back in the action, even as a slightly rusty substitute off the bench. David Waldstein, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Over billions of years this rusty material has been broken down into dust and spread all around Mars by the wind, a process that continues today. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (2)

alteration of restive

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rusty was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rusty. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

rusty

adjective
ˈrəs-tē
rustier; rustiest
1
: affected by or as if by rust
2
: less skilled and slow through lack of practice or old age
3
: of the color rust
rustily
-tə-lē
adverb
rustiness
-tē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rusty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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