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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 At the start, Hondo flexes his rusty leadership skills and tries to get his ragtag crew to work as a cohesive unit. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026 The spectacular wildflower display has rapidly spread across the rusty red landscape of Western Australia's Murchison region following several wetter-than-usual months, according to the NASA Earth Observatory. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026 The opener at Nottingham Forest was understandably rusty, but headed for a good 0-0 draw on the road until Anton Stach’s late free kick. — Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The feathers on her back were of mottled sepia tones, and those on her belly were rusty brown and painterly white. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rusty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rusty

Adjective

The archaic legal restrictions restricting same-sex couples or unmarried women, for example, are acknowledged and adhered to, rather than being openly challenged or criticized.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Cornell University’s investigation, of course, did not have to adhere to New York’s arguably archaic criminal standards, but its response, too, has triggered anger and disbelief across airwaves and social media.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of archaic

Adjective

Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Singers didn’t want their voices to get hoarse over the long night or week.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoarse

Adjective

As Jack Dorsey of Block argues, corporate hierarchy is an obsolete information-routing protocol.

— Ming Lu, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
But a decade later, as streamers rely increasingly on acquisitions, co-financing and bundling, producers and distributors — far from becoming obsolete — have had to sharpen their dealmaking skills.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of obsolete

Adjective

Over three decades in stand-up comedy, Bill Burr has gained a reputation for saying, with gruff conviction and political fire, the thing on everyone’s mind.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
We were taught by a gruff cockney called Fred Waring, who had participated in the D-Day landings in a regiment that had fought its way across Europe towards Berlin and liberated the concentration camp at Belsen.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of gruff

Adjective

The antiquated federal code lacks any guidance for building these homes to withstand earthquakes, wildfires or tornadoes.

— Arindam Chowdhury, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Adopting techniques from classic-Hollywood style, cinematographers dusted off antiquated equipment, using tungsten bulbs instead of LEDs to create the low-key contrasts typical of the genre.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of antiquated

Adjective

Her husky voice made Pugh, as an up-and-comer, seem wise beyond her years in breakout roles as a Machiavellian teenage bride in Lady Macbeth and an actor turned spy in The Little Drummer Girl.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of husky

Adjective

By the medieval period, Christianity was the dominant religion of Europe, but long-distance travel was extremely difficult, and embarking upon a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was often regarded as a death sentence.

— Shay Rabineau, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
The medieval French mystic Marguerite Porete was burned at the stake.

— Merve Emre, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of medieval

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 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rusty

adjective

Example Sentences

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