fusty

IPA/ˈfʌsti/
KK[fˈʌstˌi]IPA/ˈfʌsti/

fusty — adjective

  • fustypositive
  • fustiercomparative
  • fustiestsuperlative

1. Something that is fusty smells unpleasant, stale, and damp — like a room that ha

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Something that is fusty smells unpleasant, stale, and damp — like a room that has been shut for a long time with no fresh air, or clothes that were put away while still slightly wet.

例句

The old suitcase had a fusty smell after years of being stored in the attic.

collocation: fusty smell / fusty room

Bao opened all the windows to let fresh air into the fusty bedroom.

同義詞
  • musty

    the most common synonym; musty is used more frequently than fusty for the same stale-damp smell

  • mouldy

    stronger emphasis on visible mould growth, not just the smell

  • stale

    broader — can describe air, food, or smells that are no longer fresh, without the dampness component

反義詞
  • fresh

    the opposite of any fusty smell or air

  • airy

    describes a space that is open and well-ventilated, the opposite of a fusty room

用法筆記

Usually placed before a noun (a fusty smell, a fusty room). Less commonly used after a linking verb (the air was fusty).

常見錯誤

❌This bread tastes fusty
✅This bread tastes stale.
💡fusty is for smells caused by dampness, not for food that has simply dried out.
❌The milk went fusty
✅The milk went sour.
💡fusty describes musty, damp smells from objects or rooms, not food that has spoiled.

2. If ideas, systems, or people are described as fusty, they are old-fashioned and

2.形容詞B2
釋義

If ideas, systems, or people are described as fusty, they are old-fashioned and unwilling to accept modern ways of thinking or doing things.

例句

The professor's fusty views on education surprised the younger teaching staff.

collocation: fusty views / fusty ideas

Lakshmi called the company's dress code fusty and refused to follow it.

同義詞
  • stuffy

    similar meaning of narrow-minded or overly formal, but stuffy is more common in everyday speech

  • outdated

    neutral — describes something that is no longer current, without the disapproving emotional tone

  • antiquated

    more formal and stronger — suggests something is so old it is no longer useful

反義詞
  • modern

    the direct opposite of fusty in the context of ideas or approaches

  • progressive

    describes a willingness to adopt new ideas and methods

用法筆記

Carries a disapproving tone. Commonly used to criticise institutions, rules, or traditions that have not kept up with change. Often found in informal or journalistic writing rather than formal academic text.

常見錯誤

❌My grandmother is fusty because she is 85.
✅My grandmother's opinions about technology are fusty.
💡describe the ideas or attitudes as fusty, not the person's age.