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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the school's stark prohibition against obscene slogans on clothing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stark
Additionally, visitors might explore Mikhailov's iconic photographic series from the 1980s and 1990s, in which his distinctive mix of dark humor and stark realism captures Ukraine's shifting socio-political landscape.
—
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cavs’ 134-114 loss to the Thunder was only the latest, but perhaps starkest, example of how teams built with length on the perimeter tend to smother them.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will be hostile and cold, a stark change from the Rams-friendly conditions during their wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Thursday, the nation's capital recorded an average temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit, a stark 10.1 degrees below the five-year historical average of 37.1 degrees.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stark 
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cavs’ 134-114 loss to the Thunder was only the latest, but perhaps starkest, example of how teams built with length on the perimeter tend to smother them.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will be hostile and cold, a stark change from the Rams-friendly conditions during their wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Thursday, the nation's capital recorded an average temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit, a stark 10.1 degrees below the five-year historical average of 37.1 degrees.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
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An incomplete pass on a fake punt on the first possession of the second half gave the Buckeyes the ball at the Notre Dame 33, only adding to the grim outlook.—
Charles Odum,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
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Thanks to the air pollution caused in large part by fossil fuels, 7 million people around the world die early each year, and that grim tally includes hundreds of thousands of Americans.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Wolf Blitzer appears with a CNN breaking news update of sheer panic in the trailer (below): The country has been hit with widespread technology outages, computers have been highjacked and there are significant casualties.—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2025
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Successful hospitality brands now focus on authentic connections and engaged audiences rather than sheer follower counts.—
Emily Reynolds Bergh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
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The medication has hallucinogenic effects that alter the perception of sight and sound and cause users to feel devoid from pain and out of control of their surroundings.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
28 Oct. 2023
Adjective
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For the scenes that take place in the Human World, the crew is going to shoot in a desolate part of Iceland.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
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What's more, the plane was completely encircled by massive screens that projected high-resolution videos of desolate Alaskan wilderness.—
Marco della Cava,
USA TODAY,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The track resonates with Belinda’s crystalline vocals, dynamic guitar riffs, and spirited trumpet interplays, while Tito’s distinctively gruff delivery adds grit to their musical escapade.—
Ingrid Fajardo,
Billboard,
17 Jan. 2025
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Resolved to continue on her trip for the sake of her son, Sara finds herself in a perilous situation, and is forced to lean on the elusive Issac Reed (Taylor Kitsch), a gruff recluse who lives on the outskirts of Ft. Bridger.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Organize your ideas with the timeless power of the triad—three points are simple, memorable, and impactful.—
Martin Gutmann,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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The concept of the Brigade was simple: the members of our community needed to be better prepared for the future.—
Emma Marie Jenkinson,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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More than 200 guests were invited to the nuptials, yet Sarah showed a nearly empty venue after waiting for an hour and a half in a now-viral video recently posted on TikTok.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
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What To Know The ASTRA Telegram channel, a project run by independent Russian journalists, said Ukraine targeted the plant in a massive drone attack, and struck an empty tank on its territory.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Anatolian mountains, where Ali tends to a barren garden, provide a sinister backdrop from which anything, not just a vagabond dropped as if from the sky, can suddenly appear.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2025
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The streets are barren, save for occasional officials’ vehicles.—
Katie Kilkenny,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near stark
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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