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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the school's stark prohibition against obscene slogans on clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stark
Those two electoral cycles reveal stark and important contrasts.
—
Mike Hernández, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s a stark contrast from last month, when a Treasury offering saw the highest demand ever in the history of 30-year auctions.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
That poll is a stark indicator of shifting attitudes.
—Roger Sherman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Mike Hernández, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s a stark contrast from last month, when a Treasury offering saw the highest demand ever in the history of 30-year auctions.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
That poll is a stark indicator of shifting attitudes.
—Roger Sherman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
-
Indeed, young women like Alyoshka’s bride may be looking at a grim future, in which their husbands, in accordance with tradition, have the right to ignore or even beat them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Can this industry get any more grim?—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If the success of a party is measured by the sheer volume of sequins, few could compete with the Conservative Action Political Conference.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
At various crucial points in the journey, the crew expects to lose contact with mission control because of the sheer distance and physics involved with the flight.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
-
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.—
Félix Márquez,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate on Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The modern extension in the rear of the 19th-century main villa is an elegantly spartan affair that somehow complements the 19th-century edifice and brings in the surrounding foliage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
-
His solution is to hide technology behind spartan interfaces.—
Diana Budds,
Architectural Digest,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As Liborio, an orphan who risked his life to cross the border and ended up living in the attic of a bookstore thanks to the kindness of the gruff owner, Chief (Eddie Marsan), the actor plays a narrator who consistently breaks the fourth wall.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
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As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Catanzaro Lido, a beach town along the Ionian coast, meals tend to be simple and communal.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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In her first interview since becoming head of content at Disney+ EMEA, Angela Jain has said the message to writers and producers is simple, the streamer is going to greenlight more originals from the region and will be backing that effort with extra funds for local fare.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Her home had been a house of mourning, a symbol of resilience, a family cornerstone, and now—bright shock—the empty scene of an unseen crime.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Police searched the house and found a Powerade bottle that was largely empty, but contained some residue at the bottom.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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