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
The water was a blur of teal fringed with rusty shadows, darkening, about twenty feet below, to a sickly emerald. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Denim culottes, jodhpurs, button-down shirts and a denim top with a kerchief-like neckline co-mingled with leather riding boots, flannel tops and leather and fur jackets in rusty hues. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Feb. 2025 Which is to say that he’s fatally severed his neck by hanging himself from the radiator with some rusty chicken wire. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2025 Some players feel rusty during prolonged breaks, while others in the Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 cherish the time off. Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rusty. Accessed 3 Mar. 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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