Definition of baldnext
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as in bare
lacking a usual or natural covering trees that are bald in the winter aren't the best for giving a home year-round privacy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bald differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bald are bare, barren, naked, and nude. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When can bare be used instead of bald?

Although the words bare and bald have much in common, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

Where would barren be a reasonable alternative to bald?

In some situations, the words barren and bald are roughly equivalent. However, barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

When might naked be a better fit than bald?

The words naked and bald are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

When could nude be used to replace bald?

The synonyms nude and bald are sometimes interchangeable, but nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bald In recent weeks, Smith has shared heartwrenching glimpses into the family’s battle, including photos of Whimsy’s curls being shaved and her bald head bedazzled with gems. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026 The bald icon, the lollipop, the legend… and the cast who kept New York’s mean streets crackling. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 July 2026 Pitbull, 45, made history Sunday at American Express presents BST Hyde Park in London after 22,141 fans gathered wearing bald caps, setting the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people in bald caps. Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 Pitbull just broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps with 22,141 baldies — this is what Pitbull calls his fans who wear bald caps. Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bald
Adjective
  • Slip resistant surfaces can do the same, especially in bathrooms and on decks where bare feet meet wet flooring.
    Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The collision laid bare the danger at the most volatile front of Europe’s wildfire emergency.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Abernathy Greenway Park walk with Trees Atlanta Take a walk through the park with a Trees Atlanta docent, who will teach simple tricks for telling trees apart and share stories about why trees are important and how to protect them.
    Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Oldest Person in the World takes an ostensibly simple premise and explores its deeper resonance.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Areas where forecasts consistently predict clear skies — or persistent cloud — will become increasingly obvious as eclipse day approaches.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The choice of Bailey as the newest Giorgio Armani global fragrance ambassador was obvious.
    Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Some exposed Artifacts also contained software code and employee work notes.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026
  • The appeal lies in watching urban Stockholm gradually give way to holiday homes, wooded islands and finally the more exposed landscape of the outer archipelago.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Adjective
  • For the best views, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt, and look up after midnight using only the naked eye.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • While it was eventually scrubbed from TikTok, the 15-minute stream saw Hilton holding a knife while naked and bloody with visible cuts on his body.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • That interplay of warmth, spice, and richer notes is what gives fall fragrances their unmistakable character, setting them apart from the lighter, brighter scents of spring and summer.
    Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Few heads turn despite her tall, unmistakable frame shuffling across the floor.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Purchase pre-peeled garlic cloves in bulk or peel the garlic cloves yourself using the flat side of a large knife to mash them slightly and then peel off the skins.
    Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Use pre-peeled carrots or bagged baby carrots to save prep time.
    Renu Dhar, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • For instance, a plain English muffin typically contains about 120 to 150 calories, while a standard plain bagel often has 250 to 350 calories.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The fiber slows digestion, which can blunt the blood sugar spike that plain lemonade would normally cause.
    Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 4 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bald. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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