naked

American  

[ney-kid] / ˈneɪ kɪd /

adjective

1. being without clothing or covering; nude.

   naked children swimming in the lake.

   Synonyms:

   undressed, uncovered

2. without adequate clothing.

   a naked little beggar.

3. bare of any covering, overlying matter, vegetation, foliage, or the like.

   naked fields.

4. bare, stripped, or destitute (usually followed byof ).

   The trees were suddenly naked of leaves.

   Synonyms:

   denuded

5. without the customary covering, container, or protection.

   a naked sword;

   a naked flame.

   Synonyms:

   exposed

6. without carpets, hangings, or furnishings, as rooms or walls.

7. (of the eye, sight, etc.) unassisted by a microscope, telescope, or other instrument.

   visible to the naked eye.

8. defenseless; unprotected; exposed.

   naked to invaders.

   Synonyms:

   open, unarmed

9. plain; simple; unadorned.

   the naked realities of the matter.

10. not accompanied or supplemented by anything else.

    a naked outline of the facts.

11. exposed to view or plainly revealed.

    the naked threat in the letter;

    a naked vein of coal.

    Synonyms:

    patent, obvious, manifest, evident, blatant

12. plain-spoken; blunt.

    the naked truth.

    Synonyms:

    unvarnished, stark, simple

13. Law. unsupported, as by authority or consideration.

    a naked promise.

14. Botany.

    1. (of seeds) not enclosed in an ovary.

    2. (of flowers) without a calyx or perianth.

    3. (of stalks, branches, etc.) without leaves.

    4. (of stalks, leaves, etc.) without hairs or pubescence.

15. Zoology. having no covering of hair, feathers, shell, etc.

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naked British  

/ ˈneɪkɪd /

adjective

1. having the body completely unclothed; undressed Compare bare 1

2. having no covering; bare; exposed

   a naked flame

3. with no qualification or concealment; stark; plain

   the naked facts

4. unaided by any optical instrument, such as a telescope or microscope (esp in the phrase the naked eye )

5. with no defence, protection, or shield

6. (usually foll by of) stripped or destitute

   naked of weapons

7. (of the seeds of gymnosperms) not enclosed in a pericarp

8. (of flowers) lacking a perianth

9. (of stems) lacking leaves and other appendages

10. (of animals) lacking hair, feathers, scales, etc

11. law

    1. unsupported by authority or financial or other consideration

       a naked contract

    2. lacking some essential condition to render valid; incomplete

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Other Word Forms

• half-naked adjective
• nakedly adverb
• nakedness noun
• seminaked adjective
• unnaked adjective

Etymology

Origin of naked

before 900; Middle English naked ( e ), Old English nacod; cognate with Dutch naakt, German nackt, Gothic naqths; akin to Old Norse nakinn, Latin nūdus, Greek gymnós, Sanskrit nagnás

Example Sentences

During the Moon flyby, which will last for several hours, the crew will have to observe the celestial body with their naked eyes, along with cameras they have on board.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

Grimes said it was almost impossible to see a micrometeorite with the naked eye.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

As Tristan breathed his final “Isolde,” the expression on Mr. Spyres’s face—open-eyed and naked with longing—said it all.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

For nearly 150 years, paleontologists in this region have relied largely on surface collecting methods, which tend to yield larger fossils visible to the naked eye while tiny specimens remain hidden.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

The reason I was almost naked on a pedestal clapping was that I was getting a suit tailored.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• bare
• defenseless
• exposed
• helpless
• nude