How to pronounce stark
Say it like STARK. Stark is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stark. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STARK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stark pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STARKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of stark
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: STAHK.
What does stark mean?
- devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment“the blunt truth”“the crude facts”
- severely simple“a stark interior”
- complete or extreme“stark poverty”“a stark contrast”
- completely“stark mad”“mouth stark open”
Where does stark come from?
In the phrase stark naked: an alternation of Middle English stert naked, from stert (“tail”), a literal parallel to the modern butt naked.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with stark
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stark.
Questions about saying stark
How do you pronounce stark?
Say STARK. The American pronunciation is /stɑrk/. In British English it is /stɑːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stark?
Stark is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STARK.
Is stark pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /stɑːk/ (STAHK).