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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
Instead of selecting a bright color like traditional jelly nails, Bieber opted for a nude shade that combines the transparent shine of jelly nails with the glossy look of lip-gloss nails. Allegra Isert, Glamour, 30 Apr. 2025 The figure in the sketch appeared to be mostly nude, outside of the hood, with dark boots and gloves. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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 But there’s actually an art to nude polish, because not all nudes are created equal. Iman Balagam, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nude
Adjective
  • It can't be seen with the naked eye, but a curious weather pattern in the upper level atmosphere above the continental United States is forecast to generate unsettled weather and some big temperature contrasts into the weekend.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • While, erm, pleasuring himself in the shower, a fully naked and very drunk Sean is taken aback by a familiar face who enters his bathroom.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nude. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

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