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adj B1 Intermediate Common

naked

NAY-kihd

Naked (adj) means wearing no clothes at all. Example: “He jumped into the lake completely naked.”

adj
1
Wearing no clothes at all.
"He jumped into the lake completely naked."
"The toddler ran naked through the sprinkler."
2
Stated plainly and directly, without softening or disguise.
"She admitted, in naked terms, that the plan had failed."
3
Missing a covering, support, or protection that would normally be there.
"The naked wires were a serious fire hazard."
"He stared at the night sky with the naked eye, no telescope needed."
4
Exposed and unprotected, as if something essential were stripped away.
"Without her notes she felt naked in front of the panel."

How to use naked

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBare or uncovered — used literally for the body and figuratively for anything stripped of its usual covering or disguise.

Common mistake

In finance, "naked" describes a trade made without owning the underlying asset (e.g. a naked short) — a specialised sense worth knowing if you read business news.

Common pairings
naked eye naked truth stark naked naked flame

Word forms

more naked comparative, most naked superlative

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Test yourself on “naked” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He jumped into the lake completely _____.

Etymology

From Old English nacod, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "naked" — a distant relative of "nude."

Origin: Old English

uncovered stripped bare bareskin nude starkers unclad unclothed in the altogether butt-naked bare-assed in one's birthday suit

Antonyms

Related words

Rhymes for naked

See all rhymes for naked →

Frequently asked questions

What does “naked” mean?

The word “naked” means wearing no clothes at all. In plain terms, bare or uncovered — used literally for the body and figuratively for anything stripped of its usual covering or disguise.

How do you pronounce “naked”?

“Naked” is pronounced NAY-kihd (/ˈneɪkɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “naked” in a sentence?

Here is “naked” used in a sentence: “He jumped into the lake completely naked.”

What is another word for “naked”?

Words with a similar meaning to “naked” include bare, bareskin, nude, starkers, unclad and unclothed.

What is the opposite of “naked”?

The opposite of “naked” — its antonyms — are clothed, decent and dressed.

What part of speech is “naked”?

“Naked” is an adjective.

Where does the word “naked” come from?

The word “naked” comes from Old English. From Old English nacod, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "naked" — a distant relative of "nude.".

Is “naked” a common word?

“Naked” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

What is the difference between naked and nude?

Both mean wearing no clothes, but the tone differs. Nude is the softer, more neutral term, favoured in art, fashion, and polite description. Naked is more direct and often carries a sense of exposure or vulnerability. You'd speak of a nude painting, but the naked truth.

What is the opposite of naked?

The opposite of naked is clothed, dressed, or covered. In figurative uses the antonym shifts: the opposite of a naked flame is a shielded or enclosed one, and the opposite of the naked eye is aided or magnified vision through a lens or microscope.

Does naked always mean without clothes?

No — naked has several figurative senses meaning exposed, bare, or unaided. The naked eye sees without a telescope or microscope; the naked truth is plain and unconcealed; a naked flame is uncovered; and naked branches are stripped of leaves. Context makes the intended meaning clear.

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