starkly

[stahrk-lee]

adverb

1. in a harsh, grim, or desolate way.

   Working in the slums confronted us starkly with the sufferings of others.

2. extremely simply, sparely, or austerely.

   Even in wealthier households, bedrooms were starkly furnished, with just a bed and perhaps a chair and a small table.

3. in a blunt or sternly plain way, without softening.

   To put it more starkly, your great-grandmother was a common criminal.

4. in a way that is highly contrastive; distinctly or sharply.

   The case presents two starkly different views of mobile device targeting by advertisers.

5. completely or utterly; downright.

   We both know that it's starkly impossible to hide an operation as big as that from a spy system as good as theirs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of starkly¹

First recorded before 900; stark ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Scott Holste, who served as a spokesperson for Jay Nixon, a moderate Democrat who served as the Missouri attorney general from 1993 to 2009, recalls a starkly different approach from Bailey’s.

From Salon

But the two leaders have taken starkly different positions on the White House’s indiscriminate raids and deployment of National Guard troops.

From Los Angeles Times

While the immediate effects of wildfire and other climate-driven disasters are starkly apparent in hard-hit communities, the lingering consequences can be challenging to quantify.

From Los Angeles Times

The next night, Salzburg delivered some of the most starkly focused and profound 70 minutes I’ve spent in an opera house.

From Los Angeles Times

The same could be said about Adams’ lack of relevant experience, temperament and expressed opinions – which clash starkly with prevailing sentiment in majority-Muslim, socially conservative Malaysia.

From Salon