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
Speaker after speaker urged officials to double funding for the Department of Recreation and Parks, pointing to aging facilities, staffing shortage and stark disparities in access to green space across neighborhoods.
—
Teresa Liu, Daily News, 2 May 2026
Those worlds are stark monochromatic paintings, vast canvases slashed through with hard lines — a floor-to-ceiling column, a long tilting gangplank, an illuminated rectangle flown in at a precarious angle.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
For many Venezuelans, the gap between income and living costs remains stark.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Cooler light, by contrast, tends to read as stark and sterile, which can shrink a space visually rather than open it up.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Teresa Liu, Daily News, 2 May 2026
Those worlds are stark monochromatic paintings, vast canvases slashed through with hard lines — a floor-to-ceiling column, a long tilting gangplank, an illuminated rectangle flown in at a precarious angle.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
For many Venezuelans, the gap between income and living costs remains stark.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Cooler light, by contrast, tends to read as stark and sterile, which can shrink a space visually rather than open it up.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
-
And if The Devil Wears Prada 2 is any kind of morale bellwether for big media, even the ten people with job security are feeling grim about the mouth.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
-
Continue reading … BEHIND CLOSED DOORS — Babysitter’s grim discovery exposes deadly family secret inside luxury home.—
,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
What strikes fear into the hearts of overseas rivals is the sheer scale of production in China, where automakers can rely on deep domestic supply chains and have automated their factories.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
-
Every year, the level of talent and sheer ability seems more outrageous.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
On Thursday afternoon, at least two of the parishes marked for closure stood silent and seemingly devoid of activity.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
To be fair, Saturday’s Kentucky Derby field isn’t entirely devoid of notable nomenclature.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Introducing the setting with a majestic crane shot (particularly immersive in 3D), his camera soars above the cave and surveys the desolate landscape.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
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For myself, having a Wrangler is the perfect vehicle to just drive these desolate roads.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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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
Adjective
-
Iron Maiden’s singer when Smith joined, Di’Anno, had short hair and a uniquely gruff voice but couldn’t cut it on the road.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Goldstein plays gruff retired footballer and now assistant coach of AFC Richmond Roy Kent.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These are products have a short, simple ingredient lists that are easy to understand for regular consumers and are free from additives.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
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Sometimes this involved simple in-person observations.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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It’s been maddening to watch a lineup full of high-end hitters come up empty night after night in April, a month that has felt as long as about three.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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After sitting empty since Sting and Styler moved out, per the New York Post, the stylish spread has just returned to the market for $45 million, a whopping $5 million less than the current owner paid.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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