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Definition of starkness

starkness

/ˈstɑːrk.nəs/
stark · ness
Adverb:starkly
•
Plural:starknesses
•
Adjective:stark
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starkness Lexical Profile

starkness Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The quality or state of being bare, desolate, or lacking ornament and comfort.

Example

"The photographer captured the haunting starkness of the winter desert landscape."

2

The quality of being sharply clear, blunt, or impossible to avoid.

Example

"The report presented the financial crisis in all its grim starkness."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for starkness
Antonyms
View all antonyms for starkness

• Rhymes for starkness

• Nearby Words

stark
starkers
starkly
starkness
starless
starlet
starlight

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'stearcnes', meaning 'hardness, roughness, or severity', formed from 'stearc' (stiff, strong, rigid) and the suffix '-nes' (-ness).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Starkness. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/starkness
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