1
as in grim
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
stark and forbidding mountains that the settlers knew that they would have to cross
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the school's stark prohibition against obscene slogans on clothing
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3
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present
house buyers trying to imagine what those stark rooms would look like when filled with furniture
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4
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
a once-lush landscape rendered depressingly stark by strip-mining and deforestation
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5
as in spartan
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
monks who have committed themselves to living in stark cells and working and praying in silence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of stark
Additionally, visitors might explore Mikhailov's iconic photographic series from the 1980s and 1990s, in which his distinctive mix of dark humor and stark realism captures Ukraine's shifting socio-political landscape.
—
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cavs’ 134-114 loss to the Thunder was only the latest, but perhaps starkest, example of how teams built with length on the perimeter tend to smother them.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will be hostile and cold, a stark change from the Rams-friendly conditions during their wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Thursday, the nation's capital recorded an average temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit, a stark 10.1 degrees below the five-year historical average of 37.1 degrees.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stark 
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cavs’ 134-114 loss to the Thunder was only the latest, but perhaps starkest, example of how teams built with length on the perimeter tend to smother them.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will be hostile and cold, a stark change from the Rams-friendly conditions during their wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Thursday, the nation's capital recorded an average temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit, a stark 10.1 degrees below the five-year historical average of 37.1 degrees.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
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Thanks to the air pollution caused in large part by fossil fuels, 7 million people around the world die early each year, and that grim tally includes hundreds of thousands of Americans.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
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An incomplete pass on a fake punt on the first possession of the second half gave the Buckeyes the ball at the Notre Dame 33, only adding to the grim outlook.—
Charles Odum,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Wolf Blitzer appears with a CNN breaking news update of sheer panic in the trailer (below): The country has been hit with widespread technology outages, computers have been highjacked and there are significant casualties.—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2025
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Successful hospitality brands now focus on authentic connections and engaged audiences rather than sheer follower counts.—
Emily Reynolds Bergh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
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The medication has hallucinogenic effects that alter the perception of sight and sound and cause users to feel devoid from pain and out of control of their surroundings.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
28 Oct. 2023
Adjective
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Compared to the desolate, almost alien landscape of South Dakota, the North Dakota badlands are flush with vibrant vegetation: Rocky Mountain juniper woodlands, cottonwoods that thrive in the Little Missouri River basin, and sunflowers, asters, and rabbitbrush that bloom in the late summer months.—
Erica Zazo,
Outside Online,
9 Jan. 2025
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After the twinkling lights of the holiday season have been packed away, winter can feel downright dull and desolate, especially for families with energetic kids trapped inside by the cold.—
Erica Jackson Curran,
Parents,
25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The wartime leader became a global icon for his gruff fortitude in the opening stages of the war, but his domestic popularity has since dipped.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
17 Jan. 2025
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Anderson recalled, adopting a gruff tone and pointing toward the audience.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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My top answer is a simple and no-brainer recommendation: Wash your hands with soap and water.—
Amanda Schupak,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2025
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Still, incorporating advanced technology isn’t always simple.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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What To Know The ASTRA Telegram channel, a project run by independent Russian journalists, said Ukraine targeted the plant in a massive drone attack, and struck an empty tank on its territory.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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With 200,000 people initially under mandatory evacuations, homes were empty, allowing criminals the opportunity to steal valuables.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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California officials are proposing making looting during a local emergency a felony, as wildfires continue to blaze through parts of their state, leaving barren neighborhoods susceptible to such crime.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
15 Jan. 2025
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In one glance, an observer can see the barren, airless lunar surface and a cold, desert planet that once harbored rivers, lakes, and potentially life, all while standing on our own planet, an oasis in the cosmos.—
Stephen Clark,
Ars Technica,
14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near stark
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
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