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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Those two electoral cycles reveal stark and important contrasts.
—
Mike Hernández, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s a stark contrast from last month, when a Treasury offering saw the highest demand ever in the history of 30-year auctions.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
That poll is a stark indicator of shifting attitudes.
—Roger Sherman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Mike Hernández, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s a stark contrast from last month, when a Treasury offering saw the highest demand ever in the history of 30-year auctions.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
That poll is a stark indicator of shifting attitudes.
—Roger Sherman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
-
The German Marshall Fund think tank reached a similarly grim conclusion.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
At the Church of Saint Andrew in Bucha, after viewing dozens of graphic photographs and a video display of the massacres with his EU counterparts, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski was grim.—
Lorne Cook,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If the success of a party is measured by the sheer volume of sequins, few could compete with the Conservative Action Political Conference.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
At various crucial points in the journey, the crew expects to lose contact with mission control because of the sheer distance and physics involved with the flight.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
-
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.—
Félix Márquez,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate on Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Plot details are under wraps but according to the spartan official synopsis, the psychological thriller unfolds in a seemingly idyllic and takes audiences on a vertiginous dive into the shifting limits of a sound mind, as grief and obsession take hold.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The modern extension in the rear of the 19th-century main villa is an elegantly spartan affair that somehow complements the 19th-century edifice and brings in the surrounding foliage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As Liborio, an orphan who risked his life to cross the border and ended up living in the attic of a bookstore thanks to the kindness of the gruff owner, Chief (Eddie Marsan), the actor plays a narrator who consistently breaks the fourth wall.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Build buffer time, trim one commitment, then return to the itinerary with even gentler expectations and a simpler packing list.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Parents, guardians, aunts and uncles don't have time to read every book on the shelf while trying to pick something for the young reader in their life, so here are some simple ways to determine if a book is suitable for that child.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her home had been a house of mourning, a symbol of resilience, a family cornerstone, and now—bright shock—the empty scene of an unseen crime.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Police searched the house and found a Powerade bottle that was largely empty, but contained some residue at the bottom.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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