musty
Like old attics
Musty describes a stale, damp smell—the odor of closed spaces, old books, or things left too long in storage: The attic had a musty smell.
By extension, musty characterizes anything outdated or lacking freshness: musty ideas, musty traditions.
The word suggests neglect and the passage of time without renewal.
Perceived atmospheric emission
- dampnessMild presence of water
- fustinessStale, airless quality
- dankDisagreeably cold and wet
- stagnantWithout movement or progress
airless · stuffy · closeted · unventilated · moldy · mildewy · fusty · rank
Belonging to earlier times
- outdatedNo longer in use
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- archaicBelonging to earlier times
- bygoneOf earlier times
obsolete · vintage · antique · old-world · quaint · fusty · moth-eaten · time-worn
Form-giving container
- fungusSpore-bearing organism
- sporesAsexual reproductive bodies
- dampnessMild presence of water
- decayGradual organic breakdown
moisture · humidity · basement · rot · discoloration · attic · cellar · crawlspace
Inherited family treasure
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- vintageQuality from past eras
- collectibleObject worth amassing
- memorabiliaCollected items of significance
keepsake · relic · old · grandmother's · estate-sale · secondhand · flea-market · curio
odor
Perceived atmospheric emission
stagnant · airless · stuffy · closeted · unventilated · moldy · mildewy · fusty · rank · rancid
old-fashioned
Belonging to earlier times
bygone · obsolete · vintage · antique · old-world · quaint · fusty · moth-eaten · time-worn · dusty
mold
Form-giving container
decay · moisture · humidity · basement · rot · discoloration · attic · cellar · crawlspace · damp
heirloom
Inherited family treasure
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- vintageQuality from past eras
- collectibleObject worth amassing
memorabilia · keepsake · relic · old · grandmother's · estate-sale · secondhand · flea-market · curio · bric-a-brac
abandoned
Left behind completely
- forgottenNo longer recalled
- disusedNo longer in operation
- unattendedLacking supervision or care
untouched · shuttered · vacant · derelict · forsaken · uninhabited · dusty · cobwebbed · unopened · stored
- must beIs required to
- must notForbidden to do
- must haveIndispensable item or requirement
- the show must go onTheatre's resilience creed
- must seeRequired viewing or visiting
- you must be joking
must, muster, mustered, mustiness, musters, mustering, mustier, mustiest