Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Clearly distinguished or delineated.
- adjective Bare, desolate, or unadorned.
- adjective Severe or unmitigated; harsh or grim.
- adjective Complete or utter; extreme.
- adverb Utterly; entirely.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Wholly; entirely; absolutely: used with a few particular adjectives, as stark dead, stark blind, stark drunk, stark mad, stark naked, rarely with other adjectives.
- To make stark, stiff, or rigid, as in death.
- Naked; bare.
- Stiff; rigid, as in death.
- Stubborn; stiff; severe.
- Stout; stalwart; strong; powerful.
- Great; long.
- Entire; perfect; utter; downright; sheer; pure; mere.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb rare To stiffen.
- adverb Wholly; entirely; absolutely; quite.
- adverb wholly naked; quite bare.
- adjective Stiff; rigid.
- adjective obsolete Complete; absolute; full; perfect; entire.
- adjective Strong; vigorous; powerful.
- adjective obsolete Severe; violent; fierce.
- adjective Mere; sheer; gross; entire; downright.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective obsolete
Hard ,firm ;obdurate . - adjective
Severe ;violent ;fierce (now usually in describing the weather). - adjective archaic
Strong ;vigorous ;powerful . - adjective
Stiff ,rigid . - adjective Hard in appearance;
barren ,desolate . - adjective
Complete ,absolute ,full . - adverb
starkly ; entirely, absolutely - verb To
stiffen .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment
- adverb completely
- adjective without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
- adjective complete or extreme
- adjective providing no shelter or sustenance
- adjective severely simple
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word stark.
Examples
-
She heard the slide of his zipper and her heart seized, the pulse skittering in her throat as she gazed up at his hungry face, his expression stark and pained.
My Soul to Keep Sharie Kohler 2010
-
His expression stark, he admitted, “Just two nights ago, I…I almost strangled her to death while I slept.”
Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark: The Clan MacRieve Kresley Cole 2010
-
His expression stark, he admitted, “Just two nights ago, I…I almost strangled her to death while I slept.”
A Hunger Like No Other Kresley Cole 2006
-
Galbraith's proposal does stand in stark contrast with the rumored position of the fiscal commission.
Job-Creation Idea No. 12: Let The Old Folks Retire Early And Make Way For Young Workers The Huffington Post News Team 2010
-
"Mr. Reynolds 'opinions are in stark contrast to the core values of the Champaign County Republican Party and are personally offensive to me," party Chairman Jason Barickman told the News-Gazette.
Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate For Illinois Senate, Says Black Men Prefer Drug Dealing To Education Jen Sabella 2010
-
Stepping closer, Worf appraised her with an expression of stark admiration.
Star Trek: Typhon Pact Paths of Disharmony Dayton Ward 2011
-
"Mr. Reynolds 'opinions are in stark contrast to the core values of the Champaign County Republican Party and are personally offensive to me," party Chairman Jason Barickman told the News-Gazette.
Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate For Illinois Senate, Says Black Men Prefer Drug Dealing To Education Jen Sabella 2010
-
"Mr. Reynolds 'opinions are in stark contrast to the core values of the Champaign County Republican Party and are personally offensive to me," party Chairman Jason Barickman told the News-Gazette.
Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate For Illinois Senate, Says Black Men Prefer Drug Dealing To Education The Huffington Post News Team 2010
-
"Mr. Reynolds 'opinions are in stark contrast to the core values of the Champaign County Republican Party and are personally offensive to me," party Chairman Jason Barickman told the News-Gazette.
Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate For Illinois Senate, Says Black Men Prefer Drug Dealing To Education Jen Sabella 2010
-
"Mr. Reynolds 'opinions are in stark contrast to the core values of the Champaign County Republican Party and are personally offensive to me," party Chairman Jason Barickman told the News-Gazette.
Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate For Illinois Senate, Says Black Men Prefer Drug Dealing To Education Jen Sabella 2010
whichbe commented on the word stark
A contranym: both fullness ("completeness, exemplary") and emptiness ("lacking").
August 2, 2008