fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.
a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar
Examples of musty in a Sentence
a dark and musty basement
the musty prose of writers who use the same expressions over and over
Recent Examples on the WebThat’s definitely a plus since a lot of water play can make water shoes smell musty after a while.—Jessica Booth, Parents, 3 May 2024 If the musty smell of vintage cardboard record jackets and paper inner sleeves is an intoxicant, Chern, who writes out your purchase by hand on a receipt pad like a record store clerk did at the defunct Spec’s Music in 1978, must be perpetually high.—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024 An infestation will give off a musty, slightly sweet odor, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 The Ukrainian soldiers burrow into their musty underground bunker, waiting at dawn for target coordinates to fire their 105 mm artillery gun.—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb. 2024 Mildew and musty smells can occur in clothes in even the most fastidious of households.—Tamara Gane, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024 For example, early symptoms of the condition can include musty or sweet-smelling breath, changes in sleep patterns, mild confusion, personality or mood changes, poor concentration, and worsening handwriting.—Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Feb. 2024 Spring runoff goes under the building, creating a musty smell.—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 13 Feb. 2024 The musty chamber, which looks like a makeshift cell, is where the Israeli military says Hamas held at least 12 of the hostages kidnapped and brought to Gaza on October 7.—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'musty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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