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
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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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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
The announcement stands in stark contrast with the situation across the Bay, where talks between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and hundreds of other abuse victims remain mired in a protracted and increasingly bitter stalemate.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
The infusion of Kansas City talent is a stark contrast to UMKC rosters of the recent past.
—
Christian Marshall,
Kansas City Star,
29 June 2026
Since that time, he's seen a stark change in how the nation's founding, and the Founders themselves, are remembered.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Daniel Aldrich, the Northeastern University political scientist whose work anchors this field, has argued that the depth of a community’s social ties can shape its trajectory through a disaster, and Venezuela illustrated the point in its starkest form.
—
Luis E. Romero,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
The infusion of Kansas City talent is a stark contrast to UMKC rosters of the recent past.
—
Christian Marshall,
Kansas City Star,
29 June 2026
Since that time, he's seen a stark change in how the nation's founding, and the Founders themselves, are remembered.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Daniel Aldrich, the Northeastern University political scientist whose work anchors this field, has argued that the depth of a community’s social ties can shape its trajectory through a disaster, and Venezuela illustrated the point in its starkest form.
—
Luis E. Romero,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
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The tragedy marks the first deaths for the US Wildland Fire Service, a grim milestone for the new federal agency, which launched in January to coordinate firefighting efforts on public land.
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While that’s a grim statistic, change is possible.
Adjective
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The sleeveless gown featured a semi-sheer corset bodice with a curtain of lace foliage that cascaded down past the thigh-high slit, forming an elegant silhouette.
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Nonetheless, some 120,000 Mint Juleps are consumed across two sunny days at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby, proving that some cocktails can become refreshing daytime summer sippers just by sheer force of will, and a little crushed ice.
Adjective
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In a show mostly devoid of explicit messages, the sentiment surprised me.
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Players take on the role of a Ditto capable of mimicking its human trainer, and the Pokémon is thrown into a world devoid of humans.
Adjective
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Walking around the tiny outpost offers an understanding of just how vast and desolate this arid part of the country can be.
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In the summer it had been packed with people out on the streets, by the fall is was desolate.
Adjective
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Remember, Slate’s promising something with no screens and crank windows; even Ford’s fairly spartan Maverick pickup has that spec sheet handily beat.
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Was Kenzaburo Oe, for example, subjected to the same spartan toilet seat?
Adjective
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Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
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But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
Adjective
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As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
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Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
Adjective
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Vines have grown through the fence and barbed wire surrounding a tall art deco building in this city’s downtown, and cigarette holders and empty food tins litter the tall weeds.
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Inside, there’s an empty dining room.
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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