stark

adjective
UK: /stɑːk/
US: /stɑːrk/

  1. Severe or bare in appearance or outline

    1. The room was stark and unwelcoming without any decorations.
    2. The landscape's stark beauty was evident in the winter when covered in snow, with the stark trees against white.

  2. Complete; sheer

    1. The difference between the two options was stark.
    2. There is a stark contrast between the luxury of the hotel and the poverty of the surrounding area.

  3. Unpleasantly or sharply clear; impossible to avoid

    1. The stark reality is that we are running out of time.
    2. He faced the stark truth that his actions had consequences when stark evidence appeared.

Synonyms

bare bleak austere sheer utter complete
stark adverb

  1. Completely; utterly

    1. The dog was stark naked after his bath.
    2. She looked stark pale after hearing the bad news, signaling her shock and the stark change in her.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "stark" in English means: Severe or bare in appearance or outline, Complete; sheer, Unpleasantly or sharply clear; impossible to avoid.

The phonetic transcription of "stark" is /stɑːk/ in British English and /stɑːrk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "stark": bare, bleak, austere, sheer, utter, complete.

Example usage of "stark": "The room was stark and unwelcoming without any decorations.". More examples on the page.