misty

adjective

ˈmi-stē 

mistier; mistiest

1

a

: obscured by mist

b

: consisting of or marked by mist

2

a

: indistinct

a misty recollection of the event

b

: vague, confused

avoided the large, vague, misty issues

—Reuben Abel

3

: tearful

mistily

ˈmi-stə-lē 

adverb

mistiness

ˈmi-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• beclouded
• befogged
• brumous
• clouded
• cloudy
• foggy
• gauzy
• hazy
• murky
• smoggy
• soupy

Examples of misty in a Sentence

enjoyed the misty view of the thunderous falls from the deck of the sightseeing boat

I've a misty understanding of the issue but not so much that I could vote intelligently.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is partially because the lungs breathe out moisture in misty breaths. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025

His eyes had turned misty at the memory of his mother’s words. —Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025

Dierks Bentley, Lainey Wilson, Larkin Poe, Blessing Offor and Kelsea Ballerini braved the misty rain to chat with media, mingle with their peers and listen to some of Nashville's best perform live. —Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 25 Jan. 2024

Mayfair Witches is off to the misty isles of Scotland in its second season, introducing us to new members of the family who still live in the ancestral homelands of their witchy dynasty. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing misty

• get (all) misty
• misty-eyed

Kids Definition

misty

adjective

ˈmis-tē 

mistier; mistiest

1

: full of mist

a misty valley

2

: vague sense 3, indistinct

a misty memory

mistily

-tə-lē 

adverb

mistiness

-tē-nəs 

noun