naked

adjective

na·​ked ˈnā-kəd How to pronounce naked (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈne-kəd
1
: not covered by clothing : nude
2
: devoid of customary or natural covering : bare: such as
a
: not enclosed in a scabbard
a naked sword
b
: not provided with a shade
a naked light
c
of a plant or one of its parts : lacking pubescence or enveloping or subtending parts
smooth, naked stems
d
: lacking foliage or vegetation
a naked hillside
e
of an animal or one of its parts : lacking an external covering (as of hair, feathers, or shell)
naked amoebas
3
a
: scantily supplied or furnished
a drab, naked room
b
: lacking embellishment : unadorned
hands naked of rings
naked walls
4
a
: unarmed, defenseless
unwilling to hurt a naked man
b
American football : marked by a lack of protection or coverage by blockers
a naked bootleg by the quarterback
5
: lacking confirmation or support
naked contracts
6
: devoid of concealment or disguise
the naked truth
naked aggression
7
: unaided by any optical device or instrument
the naked eye
8
: not backed by the writer's ownership of the commodity contract or security
selling naked options
nakedly adverb
nakedness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for naked

bare, naked, nude, bald, barren mean deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering.

bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

Examples of naked in a Sentence

He was naked from the waist up. had recurrent nightmares about being naked in public
Recent Examples on the Web The scene includes a lingering shot of Whiting’s bare buttocks and a glimpse of Hussey’s naked breasts. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024 Knell, 25, was found naked and bloodied in her bed by her boyfriend in June 1987, while Pierce, 20, was discovered dead in her underwear in a flooded drain. Sean Neumann, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024 Plus, its signature shiny aluminum cladding is a natural match with the Cybertruck's naked stainless steel. New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2024 Back then, young boys who were close friends would often play naked in streams in the countryside, for example. Regina Kim, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for naked 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'naked.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English nacod; akin to Old High German nackot naked, Latin nudus, Greek gymnos

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of naked was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near naked

Cite this Entry

“Naked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naked. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

naked

adjective
na·​ked ˈnā-kəd How to pronounce naked (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈnek-əd
1
: having no clothes on
2
a
: lacking a usual or natural covering (as of leaves, plants, or feathers)
naked hills
b
: not enclosed in a case or covering
a naked sword
c
: lacking protective covering parts (as membranes, scales, or shells)
a naked seed
3
: plain entry 2 sense 2, unadorned
the naked truth
4
: not aided by artificial means
seen by the naked eye
nakedly adverb
nakedness noun

Medical Definition

naked

adjective
na·​ked ˈnā-kəd How to pronounce naked (audio)
1
: lacking some natural external covering (as of hair or myelin)
used of the animal body or one of its parts
naked nerve endings
viroids are naked: the RNA strand is not encapsulated in a protein coatRoger Lewin
2
: unaided by any optical device or instrument
visible to the naked eye

Legal Definition

naked

adjective
na·​ked
1
: characterized by the lack of an interest or of exclusive control, use, or possession
2
: not backed by the option writer's ownership of the commodity, the contract for the commodity, or the security

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