Synonyms of musty

musty

adjective

ˈmə-stē 

1

as in stinking

having an unpleasant smell

musty old gym socks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stinking
• fusty
• ripe
• rotted
• stinky
• smelly
• rotting
• filthy
• fetid
• malodorous
• foul
• disgusting
• strong
• frowzy
• reeking
• funky
• frowsy
• dirty
• rotten
• noisome
• frowsty
• reeky
• stenchy
• rank
• stale
• rancid
• putrid
• bad
• vile
• nasty
• decaying
• decayed
• spoiled
• skunky
• repulsive
• revolting
• offensive
• odorous
• noxious
• decomposed
• spoiling
• decomposing
• odoriferous
• odiferous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• aromatic
• fragrant
• scented
• sweet
• perfumed
• redolent
• savoury
• savory
• ambrosial
• woodsy
• spicy
• flowery
• fruity

2

as in cliche

used or heard so often as to be dull

the musty prose of writers who use the same expressions over and over

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cliche
• stereotyped
• tired
• commonplace
• hackneyed
• old
• stale
• cobwebby
• typical
• obligatory
• boring
• shopworn
• clichéd
• usual
• trite
• timeworn
• hackney
• threadbare
• cliché
• banal
• cardboard
• dusty
• well-worn
• moth-eaten
• tiring
• hack
• conventional
• dull
• standard
• heavy
• ordinary
• derivative
• normal
• dry
• stuffy
• platitudinous
• weary
• bromidic
• drab
• stodgy
• unimaginative
• uninspired
• wearying
• canned
• unoriginal
• uninteresting
• tame
• tedious
• dreary
• imitative
• barren
• tried-and-true
• arid
• monotonous
• ponderous
• tiresome
• rote
• old-fashioned
• ready-made
• vapid
• leaden
• humdrum
• wearisome
• colorless
• pedestrian
• prosaic
• stock
• undramatic
• routine
• twice-told
• pedantic
• flat
• numbing
• jejune
• platitudinal
• old hat
• cookie-cutter
• ho-hum
• drudging
• mind-numbing
• jading

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• new
• fresh
• original
• novel
• exciting
• interesting
• intriguing
• unfamiliar
• stimulating
• unhackneyed
• strange
• energizing
• unusual
• engrossing
• involving
• unclichéd
• animating
• unknown
• engaging
• invigorating
• riveting
• gripping
• absorbing
• extraordinary
• atypical
• uncommon
• enlivening
• unaccustomed
• unprecedented
• unheard-of
• galvanizing
• pioneering
• pathbreaking
• trailblazing

Synonym Chooser

How is the word musty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of musty are fetid, fusty, malodorous, noisome, putrid, rank, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," 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

When is it sensible to use malodorous instead of musty?

The synonyms malodorous and musty are sometimes interchangeable, but malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

When would noisome be a good substitute for musty?

While in some cases nearly identical to musty, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

In what contexts can putrid take the place of musty?

The words putrid and musty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

When can rank be used instead of musty?

Although the words rank and musty have much in common, rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How do stinking and fetid relate to one another, in the sense of musty?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells

the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Examples of musty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

My childhood was full of visits to musty vestries in Milwaukee and Memphis and Marseille, as my dad wrote traveler’s checks to various priests in his most formal handwriting. —John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

Brown and director Daisy Prince, who collaborated with the composer on Songs for a New World and The Last Five Years and conceived this project, are good at establishing the musty awe that draws a certain type of person to a hallowed institution. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2024

Washing it after any extended camping trip is essential to lift stains, remove mold, and neutralize musty odors. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2024

Our starlet visits the musty set on her thespian journey and, without giving anything away, sees something rather ghostly. —Paul Schrodt, Vulture, 28 June 2024