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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the school's stark prohibition against obscene slogans on clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Automatic Shopping and Strict Usage Limits Included in the onboarding text for Gemini Spark is a stark warning that the assistant can make purchases without asking.
—
Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Take a cue from Elle Fanning—instead of lifting the hair to a pale yellow or stark level 10 white blonde, think creamy neutrals, beige golds, and buttery tones with a touch of warmth.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 24 May 2026
But in stark contrast to the Spurs’ scorching start, when Fox and Victor Wembanyama led the way in an explosive 15-0 run to open the game, the finish was futile.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 24 May 2026
But beyond humor lies a stark reality.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Take a cue from Elle Fanning—instead of lifting the hair to a pale yellow or stark level 10 white blonde, think creamy neutrals, beige golds, and buttery tones with a touch of warmth.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 24 May 2026
But in stark contrast to the Spurs’ scorching start, when Fox and Victor Wembanyama led the way in an explosive 15-0 run to open the game, the finish was futile.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 24 May 2026
But beyond humor lies a stark reality.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
-
Already, his story had begun to take on the grim pallor of tragedy.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
The reality lately has been grim.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The German supermodel attended the event in a brown figure-hugging corset dress with a scalloped neckline and sheer mesh cutouts on the sides, as well as a thigh-high slit and ruching at the hip.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
-
And that’s not to mention the sheer number of candidates or amount of money pouring into these races this year.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Just another unfunny piece of political propaganda devoid of any laughs whatsoever.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
-
Her ex, Karl (Jake Johnson, impressively devoid of his signature gruff charm), wants to move their adorable daughter, Hazel (Nola Wallace), from New York to Boise with his new partner, Mallory (Jessy Hodges), a polished grown-up who makes the bohemian Paula feel like a mess.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Situated at the entrance of Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, The Atlas Hotel helps define what was long a desolate area as a true innovation district.—
Marni Elyse Katz,
Architectural Digest,
25 May 2026
-
The delicate pitter-patter of a drum’s cymbal is the only sound to break through the thick brick wall of the obscure performance venue, Sun Space, and reach the wide, desolate Sunland Boulevard.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Six weeks later, most of the American passengers who were aboard the MV Hondius are now in small, spartan rooms with a bed and an exercise bike at the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha, Nebraska, facing potential weeks of isolation.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her ex, Karl (Jake Johnson, impressively devoid of his signature gruff charm), wants to move their adorable daughter, Hazel (Nola Wallace), from New York to Boise with his new partner, Mallory (Jessy Hodges), a polished grown-up who makes the bohemian Paula feel like a mess.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
20 May 2026
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But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
In 2015, Lynette was arrested on charges of assault and battery/simple assault.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
When Stagg’s calculations lead him to conclude that an almighty storm is set to break on June 5, 1944 — the day originally earmarked for the Normandy landings — after a long period of balmy calm, potentially scuppering the entire vast project, his simple but urgent advice is to wait a day.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
In downtown, offices sit empty and countless retail storefronts are boarded up.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
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Russian MoD via Telegram A video on social media shows a Russian interceptor closing in on a white stork – until the bird executes a sharp roll maneuver, leaving the drone chasing empty space (h/t to Andrew Perpetua for spotting this one).—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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