Definition of nakednext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective naked differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of naked are bald, bare, barren, and nude. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," 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 would bald be a good substitute for naked?

In some situations, the words bald and naked are roughly equivalent. However, bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When could bare be used to replace naked?

The meanings of bare and naked largely overlap; however, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

When can barren be used instead of naked?

While in some cases nearly identical to naked, barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

When might nude be a better fit than naked?

The words nude and naked are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 naked And while museums are bursting at the seams with paintings of naked women, real women are thrown out of museums for wearing too little (a low-cut dress) or too much (a niqab). Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 The bark had been stripped away, leaving naked yellow wood that was easily seen. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026 Eclipse-watchers inside the narrow path of the moon's shadow were given a rare naked-eye glimpse of the sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona. Brett Tingley, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026 No equipment is necessary, as meteor showers are best seen with the naked eye in clear skies with little surrounding light. Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for naked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naked
Adjective
  • That line of questioning doesn’t address whether kids are doing other harmful things, such as engaging with nude deepfakes.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The victim said Haywood and the victim took overnight trips together and exchanged nude photographs.
    Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The sport of bare knuckle is grabbing attention in the United States and in multiple countries.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In 2023 he was acquitted of domestic abuse charges in a case that had laid bare his private life.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • With other phones, even something simple like replacing an aging battery often requires melting adhesive, prying apart fragile glass panels, and decoupling cables.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
  • For a generation that grew up under those glowing Pizza Hut pendants, the appeal is simple.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The fact that my life is so exposed is incredibly complex for me.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
  • What information the Paidwork leak reportedly exposed The exposed information appears to reach far beyond email addresses.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • When Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy in May, Martinelli’s comments made his love for the club plain.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Diehl calls it one of the oldest tricks in styling, the pairing of something refined against something plain.
    Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • There, too, cafés have been pressured to refuse to serve uncovered women, a young woman who recently traveled there told me.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • But most wrecks of slave ships remain uncovered on the coast.
    Amara Evering, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Adjective
  • Anthony is a hulking, bald man with pale skin and even paler eyes, and he was dressed in an island-print tropical shirt.
    George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Butler said the crash was a combination of the bad weather and the woman's car having bald tires.
    David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Selling youth players has proved profitable for many other Premier League sides and there has been speculation this week over the future of Myles Lewis-Skelly, while his fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri is someone the club are open to selling.
    Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Anna’s sheer lace dress with a huge keyhole in the front and an open back is fine but also like a million other dresses; the same goes for Jude’s nicely constructed, but very familiar, black velvet dress with a corset.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Naked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naked. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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