nude 1 of 2

Definition of nudenext

nude

2 of 2

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

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
From there, the movie, which includes nude scenes with the actor-director, leaks onto the internet. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026 The Yuba City Police Department on Friday released video of two of its officers shooting a shovel-wielding man who was nude and roaming through a residential neighborhood last month. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
Connell, who was born in Oklahoma City in 1974 and has lived in Chicago since 2007, became fascinated with Wilson after noticing similarities between a famous Weston nude and one that Connell had taken of her own wife, Betsy Odom, three-quarters of a century later. Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026 In order to rule in her favor, jurors will have to parse the harmful actions of fellow users — including her high school bullies and adult men sending her unsolicited nudes — from design decisions made by the companies themselves. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nude
Adjective
  • Head outside tonight and drink in the sight of the Pleiades open star cluster glistening close to the red star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, before the mesmerizing naked-eye jewel slips out of view with the changing of the seasons.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Not only naked but barefoot, too.
    Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • No nudity, though, and no dance.
    Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Creator and host Eric André took the late-night talk show, a TV genre with all-too-familiar conventions, and twisted it beyond recognition with harrowing celebrity interviews, person-on-the-street stunts, jump-scare pranks, and gratuitous nudity.
    Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nude. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on nude

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster