STARK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stark mean? 

• STARK (adjective)
  The adjective STARK has 5 senses:

1. devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment

2. severely simple

3. complete or extreme

4. without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers

5. providing no shelter or sustenance

  Familiarity information: STARK used as an adjective is common.

• STARK (adverb)
  The adverb STARK has 1 sense:

1. completely

  Familiarity information: STARK used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STARK (adjective)

Comparative: starker   
Superlative: starkest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment

Synonyms:

blunt; crude; stark

Context example:

facing the stark reality of the deadline

Similar:

unconditional; unconditioned (not conditional)

Derivation:

starkness (the quality of being complete or utter or extreme)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Severely simple

Synonyms:

austere; severe; stark; stern

Context example:

a stark interior

Similar:

plain (not elaborate or elaborated; simple)

Derivation:

starkness (an extreme lack of furnishings or ornamentation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Complete or extreme

Context example:

a stark contrast

Similar:

immoderate (beyond reasonable limits)

Derivation:

starkness (the quality of being complete or utter or extreme)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers

Synonyms:

arrant; complete; consummate; double-dyed; everlasting; gross; perfect; pure; sodding; staring; stark; thorough; thoroughgoing; unadulterated; utter

Context example:

the unadulterated truth

Similar:

unmitigated (not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Providing no shelter or sustenance

Synonyms:

bare; barren; bleak; desolate; stark

Context example:

a stark landscape

Similar:

inhospitable (unfavorable to life or growth)

Derivation:

starkness (an extreme lack of furnishings or ornamentation)

• STARK (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Completely

Context example:

mouth stark open

 Context examples 

He consented, and I immediately stripped myself stark naked, and went down softly into the stream.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The researchers found stark differences between how the capsaicin affected control participants and ones with mutations in PIEZO2.

(Study identifies gene that makes gentle touch feel painful after injury, National Institutes of Health)

In stark contrast to Io, Europa is covered in ice, which reflects very little sunlight when viewed through infrared wavelengths.

(Massive Lava Waves Detected on Solar System’s Most Volcanically Active Object, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

That was before he broke the pledge; but afterwards he would always take drink when he was ashore, and a little drink would send him stark, staring mad.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was stark madness, perhaps, but in the very grip of Death he defied Death and refused to die.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

It represents a stark difference from lower down the mountain, where Curiosity discovered evidence of persistent freshwater lakes.

(NASA's Curiosity Rover Finds an Ancient Oasis on Mars, NASA)

But the Cockney was unabashed, though mad, stark mad.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

This is in stark contrast to present-day galaxies, where the effects of mysterious dark matter seem to be much greater.

(Dark Matter Less Influential in Galaxies in Early Universe, ESO)

Jupiter’s poles are a stark contrast to the more familiar orange and white belts and zones encircling the planet at lower latitudes.

(Jupiter’s Jet-Streams Are Unearthly, NASA)

The situation is even more stark in Kiribati, where just 1 per cent of fish catch would address the calcium deficiencies affecting 82 per cent of people living in the Pacific island nation.

(Fairer fish trade could fix nutrient deficiencies in coastal countries, SciDev.Net)