dusty

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdə-stē 

dustier; dustiest

1

: covered or abounding with dust

2

: consisting of dust : powdery

3

: resembling dust

4

: lacking vitality : dry

dusty scholarship

5

British : unsatisfactory

—used especially in the phrases dusty answer and not so dusty

dustily

ˈdə-stə-lē 

adverb

dustiness

ˈdə-stē-nəs 

noun

dustiness

2 of 2

noun

dust·​i·​ness -tēnə̇s 

-tin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being dusty

Synonyms of dusty

Adjective

• fine
• powdery

Examples of dusty in a Sentence

Adjective

He pulled dusty candlesticks from the shelf.

His new tie is a dusty blue.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Corduroy’s dusty reputation still lingers, but the material itself has become more supple, richer, and far more sophisticated in recent years. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026

Most mega-bestsellers of eras past are forgotten, and even the award winners that make their way into academic syllabi fade into dusty bibliography. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026

This promo includes the very plush Russell storage bed in a bewitching dusty lilac velvet. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026

Officers are sent to this remote station on rotations of two or three months, with fresh water and food delivered weekly by trucks that make a five-hour journey across dusty desert roads. — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dusty

• dusty miller

Rhymes for dusty

• crusty
• gusty
• lusty
• musty
• rusty
• trusty

Kids Definition

dusty

adjective

ˈdəs-tē 

dustier; dustiest

1

: filled or covered with dust

2

: resembling dust

dusty soil

dustily

-tə-lē 

adverb

dustiness

-tē-nəs 

noun