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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 One said the shooter was a white bald man; another said the shooter was a Hispanic man with short black hair, another witness described the shooter as thin with a mustache. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2025 The first night, the characters are menaced by a bald hulk in overalls, wearing a clown mask with the mouth area (including his teeth) smashed in. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025 For many Black women, the impulse to shave your head may come and go, but bald cuts are an easy solution—and quick to grow back. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025 While still a teen, the Gen Zer went completely bald and felt lost. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bald
Adjective
  • Individual leaves can be removed but this usually results in bare stems.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2025
  • Cena called Orton the greatest of all time at doing the bare minimum.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Style them with a simple tank for a casual day out, or add a blazer and ballet flats for a more polished airport look.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2025
  • While rectal cancers can be detected with a simple MRI scan, other cancer types are more difficult.
    Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • Upon seeing a photo of him, she was struck by their obvious physical resemblance.
    Carita Rizzo, People.com, 17 May 2025
  • This told us how well heat was distributed across the cooking surface, where the pan would heat up fastest, and whether there were any obvious hot spots.
    Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Beneath her blazer, the Princess of Wales styled a light blue, button-up collared shirt with exposed cuffs.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Load up on a nutritious brunch The sisters Xenia and Sophie von Oswald mix and match Persian, German and Australian influences at rocket + basil, an easygoing, no-reservations eatery near the busy Potsdamer Platz, with exposed brick walls painted mint green inside.
    Valeriya Safronova, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • The combo of the two can be difficult to take in with the naked eye.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
  • The coloration of light in this image does not depict a true optical rainbow as would be seen by the naked eye, but rather a colored representation of different wavelengths of light that highlight the instrument's capability to analyze various components of the solar atmosphere.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Beyond the physical abuse, Cassie endured a steady drumbeat of insidious threats that sent an unmistakable message: the violence could escalate at any moment.
    Lauren Hersh, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
  • The unmistakable message: in Welch’s House of Representatives, Democratic moderates who think for themselves and question their own party’s orthodoxies are unwelcome.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • During Kenya’s mass protests last year, demonstrators created chatbots to explain complex legislation in plain language to help their peers understand its impact.
    Erika Page, Christian Science Monitor, 10 May 2025
  • There are date-night options ranging from the expensive to the affordable, from the romantic to the just plain fun.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Perhaps more than any other genre, the evolution of punk rock (both in Los Angeles and around the world) is never more apparent than in the age range of bands at music festivals.
    Josh Chesler, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
  • That license is currently set to expire on May 27, but sources indicate it may now be extended by 60 days — an apparent diplomatic concession aimed at easing tensions and fostering future cooperation.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bald. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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