I. stark 1 /stɑːk $ stɑːrk/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: stearc 'stiff, strong' ]
1 . very plain in appearance, with little or no colour or decoration:
In the cold dawn light, the castle looked stark and forbidding.
the stark beauty of New Mexico
2 . unpleasantly clear and impossible to avoid SYN harsh :
The movie shows the stark realities of life in the ghetto.
The extreme poverty of the local people is in stark contrast to the wealth of the tourists.
We are faced with a stark choice.
a stark reminder of life under Communist rule
—starkly adverb
—starkness noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
▪ plain without anything added, or without decoration:
a plain shirt
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The fireplace was plain apart from a small design at the top.
▪ simple not having a lot of decoration or unnecessary things, but attractive:
She was wearing a simple black dress.
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The accommodation is simple but clean.
▪ austere very plain and with very little decoration, or very little in it – used about a room or place that does not make you feel welcome:
He dreaded having dinner in that austere dining room.
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The building was grey and a little austere.
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the austere beauty and grandeur of mountain scenery
▪ spartan plain and without anything that would make life easier or more comfortable – used especially about rooms, conditions, or ways of living:
Her apartment is quite spartan.
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They had a very spartan life.
▪ stark very plain in a surprising way, with very little colour or decoration – used about rooms and places:
Sam sat looking at the stark white walls.
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It is a landscape of stark beauty.
▪ bare empty, or not covered by any decorations:
Her office seemed very bare now that her desk had gone.
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He was tired of looking at the bare walls of his prison cell.
II. stark 2 BrE AmE adverb
1 . stark naked not wearing any clothes at all:
Ben was standing there stark naked.
2 . stark raving mad/bonkers ( also stark staring mad British English ) completely crazy:
He’s gone stark raving mad.