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 Whereas Samaan is almost pathologically unassertive, Fatimah knows how to work her smile as well as her body, covering stark vulnerability with a flinty sense of self-protection. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 The color isn't stark white, but rather a silvery, snowy color fit for an ice queen—or an angel! — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026 The bottom of the gown featured a semi-sheer black skirt that provided a stark contrast to the strings of head-to-toe crystal fringe that dangled from Kardashian’s shoulders to the hem of her floor-length skirt. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 23 Oct. 2026 That's in stark contrast to a 54% plunge in 2025 from the prior year as geopolitical tensions and concerns over China's economic outlook weighed on investor sentiment. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 Oct. 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
  • The discovery raises the possibility of a grim outcome in the search for the four men, which has led to El Salvador deploying 450 special forces soldiers to Haiti as of Friday to aid the gang-fighting force in the search.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The arc of Bradley Whitford’s career makes for a grim report card on the state of the country.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • The tracks, the engineers, the data, the media attention, the sheer amount of racing—the Formula 1 World Championship consists of twenty-plus races, on five continents, in nine months.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The silhouette was mostly formfitting and streamlined, with emphasis at the hips and waist and a continuation of the contrasting sheer, black fabric running down the column skirt.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 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
  • The road that leads to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is long and desolate.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As filmmakers, they were drawn to the unexpected beauty of the desolate, postindustrial landscape.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Even the most spartan features of the airport get a splash of creativity.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
  • And the narrative that Iran will just collapse because there is no new money coming in from oil is antithetical to this extreme regime, which prides itself on a spartan life.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of spartan
Adjective
  • Defying the old-school stereotype of the hard-nosed, gruff newspaper boss, Vaughn often mentored young reporters in a serious but friendly and encouraging manner.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Over three decades in stand-up comedy, Bill Burr has gained a reputation for saying, with gruff conviction and political fire, the thing on everyone’s mind.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • The actor wore a long black leather coat over a simple black tank, paired with straight-leg blue jeans cinched with a leather belt.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The company played with flexible workdays instead of rigid schedules, clearer windows for collaboration, simpler rules for meetings, better ways to share and document work, and more intentional reasons for coming together in person.
    — Deborah Lovich, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • None of the ballistic missiles that slammed Kyiv overnight into Thursday were intercepted – an indicator that Patriot stocks are still empty or critically low.
    — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Phishing email and empty ring boxes Vardon’s article was primarily about how Knicks assistant coaches did not get rings on Tuesday when the team raised its first league championship banner since 1973.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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