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
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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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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stark
Meyer’s work is in stark contrast to Jacque Rupp’s installation on the opposite wall.
—
Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
With a stark disparity between Melania‘s critic and audience scores, Rotten Tomatoes is denying any bot interference.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 Feb. 2026
The speed and ease with which this bill is advancing stands in stark contrast to the gridlock that often greets legislation aimed at improving the daily lives of Floridians.
—Adam Abutaa, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The delayed and low-key nature of that April news conference would make for a stark contrast with the unveiling of another round of immigration legislation just 10 months later.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
With a stark disparity between Melania‘s critic and audience scores, Rotten Tomatoes is denying any bot interference.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 Feb. 2026
The speed and ease with which this bill is advancing stands in stark contrast to the gridlock that often greets legislation aimed at improving the daily lives of Floridians.
—Adam Abutaa, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The delayed and low-key nature of that April news conference would make for a stark contrast with the unveiling of another round of immigration legislation just 10 months later.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stark
Adjective
-
County public health officials painted a grim picture of what life looks like for the poorest and sickest residents if new money doesn’t flow into the system.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Reddit boards hosting discussions of the case offer grim evidence of the concession.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The sheer pervasiveness of lopsided household labor suggests that this problem cannot be explained by a few individual bad actors.—
Jelena Kecmanovic,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But most of all, there was sheer, unadulterated delight.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 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
-
Tennyson spent the rest of his life returning to that desolate seascape, literally but also literarily.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The word that came to mind was desolate.—
Ken Harbaugh,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Yes, rooms are small, but the furniture and layout maximizes space in smart not spartan ways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In one corner stood a spartan single bed, in the other a small woodstove.—
Michael Pollan,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The characters are well developed and unpredictable—perhaps none more so than John Stone, Nasir’s gruff public-defense attorney.—
Stephanie Bai,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Also present was the gruff playwright.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Feltner’s routine was pretty simple.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
An empty mount later seen attached to the doorframe appears to match one designed for a Google product.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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As malls have closed because of shifting consumer shopping habits and a desire for more lucrative development opportunities, the expansive empty buildings have taken on a new draw as a kind of postapocalyptic wasteland, much to the chagrin of local officials.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stark. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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