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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
The look is completed by the romantic ruffled blouse (simple, but with interesting detailing) and nude pumps—minimalist and elegant at the same time. Lina-Marie Baatz, Glamour, 14 May 2025 Because of the nude ban, Bella wore a backless black satin gown with subtle side boob. Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 13 May 2025
Noun
If the range of subjects in Richard Learoyd’s new photographs—portraits, nudes, still-lifes, landscapes—suggests an academic exercise, look closer. Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025 The study builds on a Thorn survey released last year of 1,040 minors which found that about one in 10 kids between the ages of 9 and 17 had heard of cases where their peers used AI to generate nudes of other kids. Cyrus Farivar, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nude
naked
Adjective
  • The combo of the two can be difficult to take in with the naked eye.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
  • Her Victoria Beckham look was the perfect subtle nod to naked dressing: Gerber wore a boxy blazer and mini dress with a pair of sheer thigh-level stockings.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nude. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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