stark

adjective

ˈstärk How to pronounce stark (audio)
Definition of starknext
1
as in grim
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance stark and forbidding mountains that the settlers knew that they would have to cross

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2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions the school's stark prohibition against obscene slogans on clothing

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3
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present house buyers trying to imagine what those stark rooms would look like when filled with furniture

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4
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation a once-lush landscape rendered depressingly stark by strip-mining and deforestation

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5
as in spartan
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious monks who have committed themselves to living in stark cells and working and praying in silence

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Example Sentences

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 stark That statistic should be alarming, given that only about 30% of single-family homes in Chicago have central air, compared with 76% nationwide — an average that conceals a starker reality. — Chuka Onuh, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Even if Morocco may be the only surviving CAF squad to have a realistic shot at continuing on through mid-July, the conference’s success stands in stark contrast to the state of the Asian game. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 June 2026 The announcement stands in stark contrast with the situation across the Bay, where talks between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and hundreds of other abuse victims remain mired in a protracted and increasingly bitter stalemate. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 29 June 2026 Daniel Aldrich, the Northeastern University political scientist whose work anchors this field, has argued that the depth of a community’s social ties can shape its trajectory through a disaster, and Venezuela illustrated the point in its starkest form. — Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
  1. grim
  2. sheer
  3. devoid
  4. desolate
  5. spartan
  6. gruff
  7. simple
  8. empty
Adjective
  • If Boltanski’s work recalls Saarland’s grim past, Regenera, by another French artist, Benjamin Duquenne, points toward a hopeful future.
    — Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
  • White detailed a bizarre, almost miraculous weather event that saved the outdoor fight night just as things looked grim.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • The sleeveless gown featured a semi-sheer corset bodice with a curtain of lace foliage that cascaded down past the thigh-high slit, forming an elegant silhouette.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • Nonetheless, some 120,000 Mint Juleps are consumed across two sunny days at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby, proving that some cocktails can become refreshing daytime summer sippers just by sheer force of will, and a little crushed ice.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
Definition of sheer
Adjective
  • In a show mostly devoid of explicit messages, the sentiment surprised me.
    — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Players take on the role of a Ditto capable of mimicking its human trainer, and the Pokémon is thrown into a world devoid of humans.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • Walking around the tiny outpost offers an understanding of just how vast and desolate this arid part of the country can be.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
  • In the summer it had been packed with people out on the streets, by the fall is was desolate.
    — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 27 June 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Remember, Slate’s promising something with no screens and crank windows; even Ford’s fairly spartan Maverick pickup has that spec sheet handily beat.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 24 June 2026
  • Was Kenzaburo Oe, for example, subjected to the same spartan toilet seat?
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
Definition of spartan
Adjective
  • Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
    — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Rhaenyra’s first shock as queen is learning of her empty coffers.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • At least one tanker that has sat waiting empty for months near South Africa is already heading towards Hormuz.
    — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of empty

Phrases Containing stark

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staring down
stark
starkers
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Cite this Entry

“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stark

Nglish: Translation of stark for Spanish Speakers

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