stark
adjective
sheer, utter, downright, or complete.
Showing results for stark.
Search instead for
Start+Up.
stark
1 American
[stahrk]
/ stɑrk /
adjective
starker,
comparative
starkest
superlative
-
sheer, utter, downright, or complete.
This plan is stark madness!
-
harsh, grim, or desolate, as a view, place, etc..
Her photos capture the stark desert landscape.
-
extremely simple or severe.
With its stark interior and rough ride, the car scores low in our luxury car ranking.
-
bluntly or sternly plain; not softened or glamorized.
He panicked suddenly at the stark reality of the approaching deadline.
-
distinct, sharp, or vivid.
The thriving community gardens stood in stark contrast to vacant land and abandoned buildings.
-
stiff or rigid in substance, muscles, etc.
-
rigid in death.
-
Archaic. strong; powerful; massive or robust.
adverb
-
utterly, absolutely, or quite.
stark mad.
-
Chiefly Scot. and North England. in a stark manner; stoutly or vigorously.
Stark
2
American
[stahrk, shtahr k]
/ stɑrk, ʃtɑrk /
noun
-
Harold Raynsford 1880–1972, U.S. admiral.
-
Johannes 1874–1957, German physicist: Nobel Prize 1919.
-
John, 1728–1822, American Revolutionary War general.
stark
1
British
/ stɑːk /
adjective
-
(usually prenominal) devoid of any elaboration; blunt
the stark facts
-
grim; desolate
a stark landscape
-
(usually prenominal) utter; absolute
stark folly
-
archaic severe; violent
-
archaic rigid, as in death (esp in the phrases stiff and stark, stark dead )
-
short for stark-naked
adverb
Stark
2
British
noun
-
Dame Freya ( Madeline ) (ˈfreɪə). 1893–1993, British traveller and writer, whose many books include The Southern Gates of Arabia (1936), Beyond Euphrates (1951), and The Journey's Echo (1963)
-
Johannes (joˈhanəs). 1874–1957, German physicist, who discovered the splitting of the lines of a spectrum when the source of light is subjected to a strong electrostatic field ( Stark effect , 1913): Nobel prize for physics 1919
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of stark
First recorded before 900; (adjective) Middle English; Old English stearc “stiff, firm”; cognate with German stark “strong”; akin to Old Norse sterkr “strong”; akin to starch, stare; (adverb) Middle English sterke, derivative of the adjective
Explanation
Stark means "complete or extreme," like the stark contrast between your music taste — punk and weird metal — and your mom's, with all her 1950's doo-wop favorites. In describing a place, stark means "providing no shelter or sustenance." A barren desert or a room with no furniture or curtains is stark. It can also mean "severe, stern, or austere," like the stark beauty of the rocky cliffs in the west of Ireland. Stark can also be used to mean "totally." If you are called stark, raving mad, there's no question about it: you are acting completely crazy.
Vocabulary lists containing stark
Words from "The Avengers"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Catcher in the Rye
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said it was a stark contrast to his experience when the show began in 2014.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The drop is especially stark among families with little kids: The number of children under age 5 in big cities fell 15%, compared with a drop of 7% nationwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Adapt or fail" is Ambrositsch's stark conclusion, which has led her to plant different varieties more resistant to the heat, and to change how she treats the soil.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
A Home Office spokesperson said the crossing served as a "stark reminder that criminal gangs have no regard for the safety of those they claim to help".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Ugwu felt sorry for him and yet angry, too, because the teenager’s crying made the hopelessness of their situation stark and final.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This year, the award-winning British birding podcast “Get Birding” welcomed a new host better known for portraying doomed heroes like Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones,” than for his knowledge of green woodpeckers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Stark, set up in 2024, announced a funding round of its own last week, raising 500 million euros.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Stark said she sought professional help in the form of a mental coach, sports psychologist and therapist and now believes she’s better able to withstand the scrutiny that comes with winning at the highest tier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Mr. Stark is the author of “The Consolations of Mortality” and “Conflict of Interest in American Public Life.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
Stark white bedding, plush headboard, framed picture of the beach.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
They are generally about 10% to 20% more expensive than gas-powered cars, a difference made starker by the end of those tax incentives.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
The contrast cannot be starker: selfie-taking tourists sipping coffee at Starbucks -- an icon of globalisation and capitalism -- while looking out over reclusive, communist North Korea.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Among voters under 35, the numbers were starker: 76% named cost of living a top concern, and just 13% approved of Congress.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
The contrast with the negotiations a decade ago couldn't be starker – the American and Iranian delegations included strong contingents of experienced diplomats and leading physicists.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Her room always made him feel wistful and envious for the abundance in which she dwelled—a stark contrast with his even starker room.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
The starkest contrast between two summertime TV hits about women navigating midlife’s challenges shows up in the way its leading ladies handle themselves in the kitchen.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
The starkest contrast between then and now is the fiscal policy situation.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
If you’re going to spend five seasons of TV with them, what is the starkest contrast you can do between how you meet them and where they end up?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
The Belgians' 4-2 triumph in Cardiff was the starkest illustration.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
Stuart Symington, the secretary of the Air Force, articulated Americans' fears in their starkest terms.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
