Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for rusty. Search instead for rustys.
Synonyms

rusty

1 American  
[ruhs-tee] / ˈrʌs ti /

adjective

rustier, rustiest

  1. covered with or affected by rust.

  2. consisting of or produced by rust.

  3. of or tending toward the color rust; rust-colored.

  4. faded or shabby; impaired by time or wear, as clothes or drapery.

  5. impaired through disuse or neglect.

    My Latin is rusty.

  6. having lost agility or alertness; out of practice.

    I am a bit rusty at tennis.

  7. (of a sound) grating or harsh.

rusty 2 American  
[ruhs-tee] / ˈrʌs ti /

adjective

rustier, rustiest

  1. restive; stubborn.

    a rusty horse.

  2. Chiefly Dialect. ill-tempered; cross.

Rusty 3 American  
[ruhs-tee] / ˈrʌs ti /

noun

  1. a male or female given name.

rusty British  
/ ˈrʌstɪ /

adjective

  1. covered with, affected by, or consisting of rust

    a rusty machine

    a rusty deposit

  2. of the colour rust

  3. discoloured by age

    a rusty coat

  4. (of the voice) tending to croak

  5. old-fashioned in appearance; seemingly antiquated

    a rusty old gentleman

  6. out of practice; impaired in skill or knowledge by inaction or neglect

  7. (of plants) affected by the rust fungus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • rustily adverb
  • rustiness noun

Etymology

Origin of rusty1

First recorded before 900; Middle English rusti, Old English rūstig; rust, -y 1

Origin of rusty2

First recorded in 1555–65; apparently special use of rusty 1, but compare obsolete resty restive

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.

Ross McCrorie did nothing wrong at right wing-back against Ivory Coast, whereas Nathan Patterson looked rusty at right-back in his start against Japan.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Today it is home to an empty airstrip and the rusty remains of buildings, vehicles and hundreds of fuel drums, nicknamed American flowers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

McIlroy, who said he was feeling "rusty" in round one after several days without picking up a club as he recovered from a back injury, said he "hit the ball better" in round two.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

But I bought an old, rusty metal birdcage the seller said was from France.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

A pair of old, rusty horseshoes gave her pause.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

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.