dusty
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 
Synonyms
- fine
- floury
- powdery
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He pulled dusty candlesticks from the shelf. His new tie is a dusty blue.
Recent Examples on the Web There was no air-conditioning and the cars were dusty, but the memory stuck with her nevertheless. 
New York Times, 11 June 2022 On a hot Thursday in July, two archaeologists bumped along a dusty road in the middle of the Great Salt Lake Desert. Anastasia Hufham, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 The latest film perhaps belongs in the Warrens' basement trophy room with all the others, sealed off from the present day like a dusty museum of artifacts. Mark Kennedy, Star Tribune, 1 June 2021 As detailed above, shorter trips, track time, and dusty roads can cause your oil to break down faster and need to be changed earlier. Jack Keebler, Car and Driver, 26 Apr. 2022 The maze of dusty private roads saw no government upkeep or improvement. Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2021 And then only a couple hours’ drive along crowded, dusty, potholed roads to rural villages where swarms of industrious kids buzz around outdoor marketplaces helping do business during what are supposed to be school hours. Ben Goertzel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2021 In a special magazine section on Oct. 3, some of my colleagues will give you even more, as others have been digging into this paper’s archives and dusty files. Rick Kogan, chicagotribune.com, 20 Aug. 2021 Meanwhile, local police are searching dusty files for crimes that match Little’s confessions — so far with uneven results. Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2020 See More
New York Times, 11 June 2022 On a hot Thursday in July, two archaeologists bumped along a dusty road in the middle of the Great Salt Lake Desert. Anastasia Hufham, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 The latest film perhaps belongs in the Warrens' basement trophy room with all the others, sealed off from the present day like a dusty museum of artifacts. Mark Kennedy, Star Tribune, 1 June 2021 As detailed above, shorter trips, track time, and dusty roads can cause your oil to break down faster and need to be changed earlier. Jack Keebler, Car and Driver, 26 Apr. 2022 The maze of dusty private roads saw no government upkeep or improvement. Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2021 And then only a couple hours’ drive along crowded, dusty, potholed roads to rural villages where swarms of industrious kids buzz around outdoor marketplaces helping do business during what are supposed to be school hours. Ben Goertzel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2021 In a special magazine section on Oct. 3, some of my colleagues will give you even more, as others have been digging into this paper’s archives and dusty files. Rick Kogan, chicagotribune.com, 20 Aug. 2021 Meanwhile, local police are searching dusty files for crimes that match Little’s confessions — so far with uneven results. Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing dusty
Kids Definition
dusty
adjective
ˈdə-stē
dustier; dustiest
1
: filled or covered with dust
2
: resembling dust
dusty soil
dusty
adjective
1
as in fine
consisting of very small particles dusty soil Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fine
- powdery
- floury
- smooth
- filtered
- pulverized
- refined
- ultrafine
- superfine
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- coarse
- grainy
- rough
- sandy
- granular
- rocky
- gritty
- granulated
- stony
- unfiltered
- gravelly
- unrefined
- lumpy
- pebbly
- stoney
- mealy
2
as in filthy
not clean old dusty clothes Synonyms & Similar Words
- filthy
- muddy
- dirty
- blackened
- stained
- black
- grimy
- nasty
- dingy
- smudged
- grubby
- messy
- greasy
- grungy
- mucky
- soiled
- begrimed
- grotty
- sordid
- unclean
- polluted
- bedraggled
- cruddy
- sullied
- draggled
- uncleanly
- smutty
- befouled
- chaotic
- besmirched
- sloppy
- littered
- messed
- bemired
- foul
- contaminated
- confused
- cluttered
- scruffy
- unwashed
- uncleaned
- unkempt
- unsanitary
- insanitary
- shabby
- gunky
- disheveled
- untidy
- impure
- sooty
- unsterile
- tainted
- rumpled
- germy
- jumbled
- squalid
- muddled
- scuzzy
- disarrayed
- slovenly
- defiled
- skanky
- unsterilized
- disarranged
- mussy
- disordered
- raunchy
- sleazy
- dishevelled
- mussed
- fuliginous
- crocked
- collied
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clean
- spotless
- unsoiled
- immaculate
- unsullied
- unstained
- ultraclean
- pure
- clear
- stainless
- limpid
- cleanly
- cleaned
- neat
- tidy
- orderly
- shiny
- spic-and-span
- bleached
- bright
- spick-and-span
- untouched
- sparkling
- cleansed
- combed
- perfect
- groomed
- whitened
- ordered
- unpolluted
- flawless
- purified
- unspotted
- unblemished
- wholesome
- untainted
- virgin
- undefiled
- taintless
3
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest I almost fell asleep reading that dusty book of memoirs Synonyms & Similar Words
- boring
- old
- dull
- tiring
- slow
- weary
- dry
- heavy
- stupid
- wearying
- drab
- arid
- dreary
- uninteresting
- monotonous
- annoying
- stuffy
- tedious
- stodgy
- irritating
- humdrum
- tame
- stale
- tiresome
- pedestrian
- drudging
- colorless
- monochromatic
- barren
- ponderous
- leaden
- sterile
- wearisome
- pallid
- flat
- gray
- soggy
- ho-hum
- exhausting
- dullish
- jejune
- unexciting
- mind-numbing
- numbing
- prosy
- blah
- prosaic
- grey
- spiritless
- uninspiring
- jading
- blank
- unrewarding
- uneventful
- unimaginative
- irksome
- unspectacular
- earthbound
- inanimate
- unsensational
- draining
- aseptic
- pokey
- poky
- bothersome
- enervating
- fatiguing
- undramatic
- cumbersome
- pedantic
- ordinary
- suspenseless
- debilitating
- common
- plodding
- pleasureless
- wearing
- dispiriting
- commonplace
- vapid
- discouraging
- tepid
- unexceptional
- unnewsworthy
- lumbering
- longsome
- palling
- disheartening
- unsurprising
- enfeebling
- demoralizing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- interesting
- intriguing
- wondrous
- wonderful
- marvellous
- exciting
- spectacular
- riveting
- engrossing
- amazing
- marvelous
- gripping
- involving
- surprising
- awesome
- absorbing
- engaging
- fabulous
- exhilarating
- sensational
- astonishing
- breathtaking
- charming
- thrilling
- inspiring
- electrifying
- astounding
- amusing
- alluring
- stimulating
- fascinating
- moving
- energizing
- attractive
- poignant
- entertaining
- enchanting
- stirring
- beguiling
- rousing
- touching
- enlivening
- invigorating
- enthralling
- galvanizing
- bewitching
- entrancing
- rip-roaring
- hair-raising
- animating
- diverting
- eye-opening
- provocative
- tantalizing
- attracting
- spellbinding
- captivating
- suspenseful
- mesmerizing
- arresting