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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stark
The yin and yang found in 21 Savage’s menacing whispers over the bass and drums, derivative of Tay Keith’s style, and his stark threats over Metro Boomin’s familiar keys create atmospheric success.
—
Demicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
20 June 2026
But stark differences emerged over Ukraine.
—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
The current reality puts into stark view both how much has changed — and how little.
—
Michael Stevens,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
But stark differences emerged over Ukraine.
—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Demicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
20 June 2026
But stark differences emerged over Ukraine.
—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
The current reality puts into stark view both how much has changed — and how little.
—
Michael Stevens,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
But stark differences emerged over Ukraine.
—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
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Located at an altitude of about 27,000 feet, Tshiring said the remains have become a grim waypoint for climbers ascending from the Tibetan side of the iconic mountain.
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The heroic death plays out almost as a footnote in an otherwise grim day at sea.
Adjective
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This sheer shade is a light and delicate pink with a hint of beige.
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The sheer number of deals available can make shopping overwhelming for even the savviest shoppers.
Adjective
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In a show mostly devoid of explicit messages, the sentiment surprised me.
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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.
Adjective
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Wilderness Little Kulala is about a 45-minute drive outside the park, located in a seemingly desolate rocky plain with harsh, jagged mountains interspersed throughout the flatlands.
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Most of the women disappeared between 2000 and 2010, and most of their remains were found on a desolate parkway not far from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Manhattan.
Adjective
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Remember, Slate’s promising something with no screens and crank windows; even Ford’s fairly spartan Maverick pickup has that spec sheet handily beat.
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Was Kenzaburo Oe, for example, subjected to the same spartan toilet seat?
Adjective
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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.
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
Adjective
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The questions Campbell needs to answer are simple.
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Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple.
Adjective
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Vines have grown through the fence and barbed wire surrounding a tall art deco building in this city’s downtown, and cigarette holders and empty food tins litter the tall weeds.
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Inside, there’s an empty dining room.
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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