RUSTED Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

rusted

verb

past tense of rust

as in rotted

to form rust The old car was left to rust in the yard of the abandoned house.

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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 rusted Videos and photos circulating on social media show piles of rocks, chunks of concrete and rusted metal rods after waves removed layers of sand along the shoreline. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 This route makes the most sense for fans that have rusted all over. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 June 2026 Be sure that the jars are free of nicks and cracks, and the lids aren't dented or rusted. — Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026 My French and Dutch rusted like old bicycles. — Joseph O’Neill, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 This type of coverage typically replaces car parts that have rusted through. — Kate Tully Ellsworth, USA Today, 18 May 2026 Six cans of evaporated milk were rusted enough to draw Stop Sales. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026 Some reels were rusted and misshapen, pieces of nitrate had crumbled, and other strips were stuck together. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026 If cans have rusted or burst seams, throw them out right away. — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rusted

Verb

By this point the food in her fridge rotted and her basement flooded.

— Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
In the process, Ownbey discovered support timbers had rotted away, forcing him to bring entire walls to his workshop for meticulous reconstruction.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rotted

Verb

Determining the causes of death was complicated by how decomposed the bodies were, the medical examiner’s office said.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
The study hypothesized that the sickle was added before the body fully decomposed since no joints were detached or displaced, as archaeologists would expect if a grave were to be disturbed after the body became a skeleton.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of decomposed

Verb

The resulting collisions formed excited compound nuclei that decayed through multiple gamma-ray steps.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
In order to have aqueous alteration there needs to be some internal heating [usually via radioactive elements] and if something forms later than everything else then there will be less heat [since many of the radioactive elements will have already decayed].

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 June 2026

Definition of decayed

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rust

rusted

rustic

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“Rusted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rusted. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of rusted

verb

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