RUSTY Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

rusty

adjective

ˈrə-stē

Definition of rusty

as in archaic

having passed its time of use or usefulness rusty laws still on the books because no one bothered to repeal them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hoarse

harsh and dry in sound in a rusty voice the old man ordered us off his land

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 rusty Carrick won more points than any Premier League manager following his return to Old Trafford in January, but that was in a temporary capacity; the first competitive fixture of yet another new era concludes with a rusty old cannonball to the stomach. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 As the eclipse deepens, most of the moon will take on a rusty orange-red color. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 The kitchen itself, though, feels fairly unused—one tap wasn’t working, the cutlery was slightly rusty, and the whole setup had a ramshackle quality. — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 From mighty Rice’s whales to the humble rusty patched bumblebee, the 1973 act protects more than 1,600 listed endangered and threatened species and their habitats. — Medara Udoekong, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rusty

Adjective

Japan’s royal succession depends on a archaic and highly contested law, despite a wealth of women who would be eligible to rule under different circumstances.

— Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
And the rest is public perception, which has shifted against what many Americans see as a dirty, archaic form of power generation.

— Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of archaic

Adjective

The obsolete buildings are gone, Zurich fills up vacant space, and his village remains on the cutting edge.

— Alex Nitkin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Golden Gate’s residents have grappled with issues around the complex’s living conditions for years, including mold, rodents and obsolete electrical systems, leading them to file suit in 2020.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of obsolete

Adjective

Bob Hoskins’s gruff detective, Eddie Valiant, sees them as a sometimes-dangerous nuisance, while conniving film-studio power players see them as moneymakers, and the rest of humanity sees them as shades in between.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Scott, 88, shares the character's worldview, despite the filmmaker’s notoriously gruff exterior.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of gruff

Adjective

Costco online cake ordering updates antiquated system The online cake ordering feature was first revealed to be on the way by Costco CEO Ron Vachris in the company's quarterly earnings call in December 2025.

— Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Additionally, interviews and encounters with the slain officers’ family members also illustrate the cost and harm of a job that was formed in the early 19th century and remains antiquated and unchanged in our 21st-century world.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of antiquated

Adjective

Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
The extravagant, hi-NRG single showcased the breadth of Tyler’s husky grandeur, which proved a perfect fit for Giorgio Moroder.

— Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

Definition of husky

Adjective

Brede Hovland of Norway’s Einar Film, who stepped in for producer Guri Neby on the panel, said the Norwegian shoot wrapped at the end of May after six-to-seven weeks in Oslo, with production now in Prague for the medieval and fantasy material.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Start your day with a lakeside walk, then visit Meersburg Castle, the town’s medieval fortress, before heading to the New Castle (Neues Schloss), a Baroque palace perched above the lake, for panoramic views.

— Sofia Markovich, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of medieval

Adjective

Nuclear Children follows 18-year-old Isla Sparrow who, after the death of her father in a submarine accident, hopes to escape her grieving family and flee to university.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
But in older adults, the relationship between body weight and health may be more complicated than a number on the scale.

— Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of old

Browse Nearby Words

rusts

rusty

rut

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“Rusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rusty. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of rusty

adjective

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