MUSTINESS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

mustiness

noun

Definition of mustiness

as in staleness

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mustiness Do a Baking Soda Soak or Wash For stubborn mustiness, Salveson recommends adding 1/2 cup of baking soda directly into the drum with the sheets (not the dispenser) and washing on warm. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026 Along with sending any bad odors out, the fresh air is also a great way to circulate any mustiness and help clear out any lingering germs that may be in the air. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 31 May 2026 With their high linen content, the sheets exuded no mustiness, only the faint sweet smell of aged paper. — Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026 The film, which screenwriter Rowan Joffé adapted from a 2014 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, seems aware of the orientalist mustiness of this premise without being compelled to subvert it in any meaningful way. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mustiness

Noun

Less than three months after the end of the World Cup, and concerns that the start of the 2030 cycle would be tame, uneventful and underwhelming — remember the fears regarding the potential staleness as a coach began a second cycle with the team?

— Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Although they’re designed to dispense cereal, most also have an airtight seal to lock in the freshness and avoid staleness.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of staleness

Noun

In the weeks after, more than 85 million pounds of rotting food being kept at the cold storage facility began to rot, leaving a putrid stench lingering over the area that led to infestations of rats, flies and other rodents.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
The family lived in a company house beside a petroleum plant; Metze recalled waking as a child to the stench of kerosene.

— Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of stench

Noun

Another common sign is rancidity, which occurs when the natural oils in the peanuts oxidize after prolonged exposure to air, light, or heat, Cutter says.

— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026
Keep nuts, seeds, and whole-wheat flour in the freezer to avoid rancidity and extend freshness.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 June 2026

Definition of rancidity

Noun

As a member of Laurence’s group LJE (Laurence Jones Ensemble), Jackson began playing clubs in New York before relocating west in the late ‘70s to join the California funk band Mystic Merlin.

— Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
Jackson, born in New York, got his start in music singing gospel before moving to California to perform with the ’70s funk band Mystic Merlin.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of funk

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“Mustiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mustiness. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mustiness

noun

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