adjective
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consisting of or resembling mist
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obscured by or as if by mist
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indistinct; blurred
the misty past
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of misty
before 900; Middle English; Old English mistig. See mist, -y 1
Explanation
When it's misty out, there's a heavy fog. The air is thick with moisture, and there's just barely a light rain. When the air is foggy or hazy, you've got a misty situation. It isn't easy to see through misty weather, which happens most often in the morning because of moisture in the air. Your eyes can get misty too, when you're about to cry because you're sad or just have allergies. In fact, people who are embarrassed about crying will often joke, "It's getting misty in here."
Vocabulary lists containing misty
Beowulf vocabulary
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -y
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Women’s workplace gains are likely playing an equal role, along with personal preferences, in driving men to spend more time on housework, said Misty Heggeness, an economist at the University of Kansas.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Misty Cook, of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, read a statement as eyes misted all around:
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
Ballet star Misty Copeland's monochrome outfit featured a playful tutu.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
But the season’s most eagerly attended performance was a gala honoring principal dancer Misty Copeland with a farewell showcase.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025
Mark looked at Misty, but she was staring at the floor, taking long, deep breaths.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
