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nude

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noun

as in nudity
the state of having no clothes on one's body the artist painted some models in the nude

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective nude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of nude are bald, bare, barren, and naked. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

In what contexts can bald take the place of nude?

While in some cases nearly identical to nude, bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When is bare a more appropriate choice than nude?

While the synonyms bare and nude are close in meaning, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

When can barren be used instead of nude?

The meanings of barren and nude largely overlap; however, barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

When would naked be a good substitute for nude?

The synonyms naked and nude are sometimes interchangeable, but naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

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 nude
Adjective
In it, a seemingly nude and ripped D’Angelo sings sensually while looking directly into the camera lens – a performance that set fans aflame. Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 There also are characters straight from the David Lynch school of the bizarre, including the menacing figure who warns Ron to stop snooping around and the bearer of a disturbing story about a manufacturing job that requires being nude. Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
In a July 29 post to the social media platform, Minniear included snaps of himself and some picturesque locations, as well as a shot of Goulding laying nude in bed with her arm, side and thigh visible but face mostly obstructed. Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 She had been stabbed multiple times and left nude in the desert. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nude
Adjective
  • The naked baby angel boy character with whimsical headgear comes in different forms—from regular, mini dolls to the popular Hippers, which are designed to hang from your phone or laptop with a square of adhesive tape.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Oh, perfect naked cherubs running down the trail through the trees!
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Sunday's emergency edition saw reduced full nudity compared to typical events, likely due to the cool, wet weather conditions, though some participants still rode wearing only bike helmets.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Rainbow Room activities pushed the edges of legality, and Skull was arrested on charges of overseeing public nudity, allowing dancing on a Sunday, allowing card games and football betting and serving mixed drinks when such a practice was banned, according to stories in The Tennessean.
    Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nude. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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