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
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Adjective
Other signs include rusty stains on mattresses, bedding and nearby objects. Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 July 2025 The underside of its wings are honey yellow and with rusty red with black patches, according to the study. Lauren Liebhaber july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025 The Lakers’ first round draft pick last season, Dalton Knecht, looked a bit rusty scoring only 10 points on three-for-13 shooting, missing all six shots from deep. Micheel Alharazy, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2025 The moon will turn deep shades of rusty red throughout the more than hourlong totality, thus producing a vibrant visual in the night sky. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 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 22 Jul. 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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