» musty

Words people most associate with “musty”:

  1. smelly,
  2. dusty,
  3. old,
  4. mold,
  5. smell

[via wordassociation.org]

Adjective (2 meanings)

1. covered with or smelling of mold.

moldy, mouldy, musty

Examples:
  • “moldy bread”,
  • “a moldy (or musty) odor”
Derivationally related form:
  • mold, mould (noun) - a fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter
  • mustiness, must, moldiness (noun) - the quality of smelling or tasting old or stale or mouldy
musty is similar to:
  • stale (adjective) - lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age

2. stale and unclean smelling.

fusty, musty, frowsty

Derivationally related form:
musty is similar to: