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as in bare
lacking a usual or natural covering trees that are bald in the winter aren't the best for giving a home year-round privacy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bald differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bald are bare, barren, naked, and nude. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When can bare be used instead of bald?

Although the words bare and bald have much in common, bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

Where would barren be a reasonable alternative to bald?

In some situations, the words barren and bald are roughly equivalent. However, barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

When might naked be a better fit than bald?

The words naked and bald are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

When could nude be used to replace bald?

The synonyms nude and bald are sometimes interchangeable, but nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bald With its grinning, bald-domed Frankie the Friar mascot, the Red Flash reached the Big Dance for the first time since 1991. John Raby, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025 Investigation revealed the child had a bald spot of over 6 centimeters on their scalp. Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025 Yust is normally bald, but authorities said his head hair and beard may have grown since he was last seen. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025 As Chloe says, these old bald guys are all the same. Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bald
Adjective
  • The girl recalled an incident when one of Deutsch's family members held her down while Deutsch hit her on her bare bottom with a paddle, the probable cause document says.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Given that Bednar would not be a rental, the Cubs would have to cough up more than just the bare minimum.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Will people be more open and accept that a simple, inexpensive date isn’t the sign of low effort but rather a reflection of the economy none of us asked for?
    Myisha Battle, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Its second life on streaming has guided new viewers to the simple charms of one of the best mystery shows of all time.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Entertainment Fans of the show on social media seem to be missing a lot of crucial character development, and there’s an obvious explanation why.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In its wildest moments, Coogler’s film seems like a collision of Lovecraft Country with True Blood, though more obvious comparisons will likely be drawn to From Dusk Till Dawn.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And, while the ball was mid-air, Zwolle’s attackers were to sprint to the penalty area to meet it on the way down and, ideally, stick it past an exposed goalkeeper.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The ceiling appears damaged, with exposed beams, and the windows are now boarded up with plywood.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Although eclipse glasses were essential to see any other part of the eclipse, totality was strictly a naked eyesight.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • In Caruso, voters saw a former Republican, and an antiabortion one at that, who had switched his party affiliation for naked political expediency.
    Robert Petkoff Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Immediate Action Required: The urgency is unmistakable.
    Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • His speech contained an unmistakable warning for Bolsonaro.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Without laws, humans are forced to decide for themselves what constitutes justice or just plain revenge.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Other bland foods, such as clear broth, saltine crackers, and plain potatoes, may also be tolerable in small servings.1 Spices: Ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon, which have some anti-inflammatory properties, can help reduce symptoms.
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • To a casual observer, the difference between o1 and o1-pro might not be immediately apparent, yet the performance gap in business tasks can be substantial.
    Andrew Filev, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • That was apparent during their weekend series at Progressive Field against the reigning American League Central champion Guardians.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bald. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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