starkly

[stahrk-lee]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

in a harsh, grim, or desolate way.
Working in the slums confronted us starkly with the sufferings of others.
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.
in a blunt or sternly plain way, without softening.
To put it more starkly, your great-grandmother was a common criminal.
in a way that is highly contrastive; distinctly or sharply.
The case presents two starkly different views of mobile device targeting by advertisers.
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.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of starkly¹

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The court battle has drawn on precedents that stretch back to the foundation of the country, offering starkly contrasting visions of federal authority and states’ rights.

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Daylight Tuesday brought a starkly different scene: volunteers scrubbing graffiti from the exterior of the museum, which highlights the painful lessons of Japanese Americans’ mass incarceration during World War II.

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We are reminded rather starkly today of the backdrop – the all too hard to shift backdrop – that shapes our national life and conversation and the trade-offs the government confronts.

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The impact is starkly visible at a hospital in the sprawling Kakuma camp in the north-west of the East African nation.

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The set is mostly dark with characters starkly spotlighted giving the impression of a black-and-white film.

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star key stark-naked

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