saboteur
one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property; N. sabotage: destruction of property (usually carried out secretly)
He is an obnoxious saboteur
saccharine
cloying sweet; characteristic of sugar or saccharin
The product contains saccharine

sacrilegious
desecrating; profane; N. sacrilege: desecration, misuse, or theft of something sacred
That was a sacrilegious act
sacrosanct
inviolably sacred; most sacred; inviolable
The book’s a sacrosanct
sadistic
inclined to cruelty; N. sadism: delight in cruelty
He has a sadistic mentality
saga
Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
A melancholic saga
sagacious
wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
He’s a sagacious and prudent individual
sage
person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
His transformation into a sage is a sheer miracle
salacious
lascivious; lustful
A salacious monk
salient
prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous
She was reading the salient features of the theory
saline
salty
Some species of fish dwell in saline waters
sallow
(of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color
She became sallow due to jaundice
salubrious
healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable
That’s a salubrious area
salutary
tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome
The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy
salvage
rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved
A salvage of property
sanctimonious
displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety
He shows a sanctimonious reverence
sanction
approve; ratify; N: permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance
The requisites were sanctioned
sanctuary
place of refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place;
The outlaw was granted sanctuary in the church.
sanguinary
bloody; with much bloodshed
That was a sanguinary battle
sanguine
optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red
He has a sanguine nature

sap
diminish; weaken; undermine the foundations of (a fortification)
The element kryptonite sapped his strength.
sarcasm
cutting ironic remark; scornful remarks; stinging rebuke; ADJ. sarcastic
His speech is usually sarcastic
sardonic
scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical
She wore a sardonic smile
sartorial
pertaining to tailors or tailoring
He’s a man of great sartorial elegance
sate
satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy
The luscious food sated her hunger
satellite
small body revolving around a larger one
Moon is a natural satellite
satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
He specializes in satire
saturate
soak thoroughly; imbue; impregnate; charge; fill to capacity
Saturated body fluids

saturnine
morose; gloomy
Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
satyr
half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man
A satyr is half man and half goat
saunter
stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N.
The girls sauntered leisurely
savant
scholar; learned person; CF. savoir: know
He’s a savant of Vedas
savor
enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality; N: taste or smell; distinctive quality
The children savored the quality of luscious food
savory
pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable;
She enjoys a savory reputation
scabbard
case for a sword blade; sheath
A golden scabbard
scad
a great quantity
He distributed scads of clothes
scaffold
temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
The workers stood on the scaffold
scale
climb up; ascend; remove or come off in scales; N: flake of epidermis; ascending or descending series of musical tones
The professional scaled heights
scanty
meager; insufficient
Scanty resources are available in the country
scapegoat
someone who bears the blame for others; whipping boy; CF. escape+goat
He always becomes the scapegoat of his seniors wrath
scavenge
hunt through discarded materials for usable items or food; search, especially for food; N. scavenger: one who scavenges; animal that feeds on refuse and carrion
They are professional scavengers
scenario
plot outline; screenplay(script for a movie); opera libretto; outline of possible future events
There is no growth in such a scenario
schematic
of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline
They practice a schema based learning
scheme
systematic plan; plot; clever dishonest plan; orderly arrangement of elements; Ex. health insurance scheme; Ex. a scheme to escape taxes; Ex. a color scheme, V: contrive a scheme
That’s a story with no scheme;

schism
division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split
The schism of main groups
scintilla
trace; minute amount; shred; least bit
There is not a scintilla of truth
scintillate
sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life
That’s a scintillating conversation
scoff
laugh (at); mock; ridicule
The kids scoffed at their threats
scotch
stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder
They tried hard to scotch the rumor
score
number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don’t worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches
Score the paper to make it easy to fold
stamp
step on heavily (so as to crush or extinguish); put an end to; imprint or impress with a mark, design, or seal; shape with a die; characterize; Ex. machine stamping out car bodies; Ex. newspaper stamping him as a liar; N. stamping; implement used to stamp; impression stamped; mark
Her remarks bear the stamp of truth.
scourge
lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; V: whip; afflict
The police unleashed a scourge on the victim
scruple
hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience
She did not scruple to read his diary
scrupulous
conscientious; extremely thorough
He’s a scrupulous worker
scrutinize
examine closely and critically; N. scrutiny
They submitted the form for scrutiny
scuffle
struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry; N
Scuffling twins
shuffle
mix together; jumble; move (something) from one place to another; slide (the feet) along the ground while walking;
The workers shuffled papers from one pile to another
scurrilous
abusive; obscene; indecent;
They  made scurrilous remarks
scurry
move hastily; hurry; move briskly
The workers scurried past the CEO’s cabin
scurvy
contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C
The child suffers from scurvy

scuttle
sink (a ship) by cutting holes in the hull; scrap; discard; N: small hatch in a ship’s deck or hull
The scuttled boat lies in the harbor
seamy
sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome
She saw the seamy side of city life
sear
burn the surface of; char or burn; brand; parch; cause (a plant) to wither
She walked along the searing desert sands
seasoned
experienced
He’s a seasoned writer
seasonal
of a particular season
There’s a seasonal rise in employment
secession
withdrawal; V. secede: withdraw formally from membership
The secession of funds
seclusion
isolation; solitude; V. seclude: set apart from others; isolate
She spent the rest of her life in seclusion
secret
conceal; hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism; CF. secretive
They carried out the plan in a secretive way
sect
separate religious body; faction; group of people with common beliefs within a larger group
She belongs to the catholic sect
sectarian
of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person
I don’t believe in sectarian politics
secular
worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal
He was a secular politician
sedate
composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative
I found her in a sedate mood
sedentary
requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled; Ex. sedentary job/population
I prefer a sedentary job
sedition
conduct or language inciting rebellion; rebellion; resistance to authority; insubordination; ADJ. seditious
A seditious language
sedulous
diligent; assiduous; paying attention; N. sedulity
He’s a sedulous writer
seedy
run-down; decrepit; disreputable; having many seeds
He runs a seedy downtown hotel
seemly
(of behavior) proper; appropriate
A seemly behavior

seep
pass slowly through small openings; ooze; trickle; N. seepage
The culture was seeping through the country
seethe
be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling;
The nation was seething with discontent.
seine
seine net; net for catching fish
They specialize in designing seines
seismic
pertaining to earthquakes
The seismic waves of high intensity were recorded
semblance
outward appearance; guise
We called in the troops to bring a/some semblance of order to the city.
seminal
related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments
A seminal research is being conducted in a new field
seminary
school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
A seminary school
senility
old age; feeblemindedness of old age; ADJ. senile: resulting from old age; showing the weakness of body or mind from old age;
The old man is suffering from senile dementia

sensitization
process of being made sensitive or acutely responsive to an external agent or substance; V. sensitize: make or become sensitive
Sensitization of indicators
sensual
devoted to the pleasures of the sense; carnal; voluptuous; Ex. sensual woman/curves/lips
A sensual treat
sententious
pithy; terse; concise; aphoristic
A sententious write-up
sentient
capable of sensation and conscious; aware; sensitive; Ex. sentient creature; N. sentience
A sentient creature
sentinel
sentry; lookout
He’s the sentinel of the jail
septic
of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)
The wound turned septic
sepulcher
tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral
A gloomy sepulcher
sequester
isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life
The diseases person was sequestered

serendipity
gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip
serenity
calmness; placidity; ADJ. serene
A serene atmosphere
serpentine
winding; twisting; of or like a serpent; N. serpent: snake
The serpentine course of the river
serrated
having a saw toothed edge;
A serrated leaf
servile
slavish; cringing; N. servility
A servile person
sever
separate; cut off (a part) from a whole; break up (a relationship); N. severance; CF. severance pay: extra pay given an employee upon leaving a position
They severed the hands of the thief
severity
harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity; ADJ. severe: harsh; strict; extremely violent or intense
They did not pay heed to the severity of the situation
sextant
navigation tool used to determine a ship’s latitude and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)
The sextant ran weird near the Bermuda Triangle

shackle
chain; fetter; confine with shackles; N.
It was hard for her to break open the shackles of tradition
sham
pretend; feign; ADJ: not genuine; fake; Ex. sham jewelry; N: something that is not what it appears; impostor; pretense
The agreement was a sham.
shambles
(place or scene of) complete disorder or ruin; wreck; mess;
After the hurricane, the coast was a shambles.
shard
fragment generally of broken pottery (glass, clay bowl, or cup)
She picked up a shard of pottery
shaving
very thin piece, usually of wood (cut from a surface with a sharp blade)
sheaf
bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together
The sheaf were piled up
sheathe
place into a case; insert into or provide with a sheet
He sheathed his dagger; N. sheath: case for a blade
sherbet
flavored dessert ice
Sherbet is famous in Arabia
shimmer
shine with a flickering light; glimmer intermittently
The moonlight shimmered on the water; N.

shirk
avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger
She shirks the work willingly
shoddy
made of inferior material; sham; not genuine; inferior; dishonest
He got used to performing shoddy tricks
shrew
scolding woman; very small mouse like animal
Katherine is a shrew
shrewd
clever; astute
He made shrewd remarks
shun
keep away from; avoid deliberately
She has been shunned by her neighbors.
shunt
move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack
The police shunts the traffic around an accident
sidetrack
switch (a railroad car) to a siding; divert from a main issue; N. CF. siding: short section of railroad track connected by switches with a main track
She deliberately sidetracked the issue
sibling
brother or sister
There are four siblings in the family
sibylline
prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)
The words she uttered were sibylline

sidereal
relating to stars
It’s a sidereal day
silt
sediment deposited by running water (at the entrance to a harbor or by a bend in a river)
They found a few gold coins in the silt
simian
monkeylike; N: ape or monkey
The monkey belongs to the group of simian pongids
simile
comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as
A simile is an indirect comparison
simper
smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly
The man simpered at the performance
simplistic
oversimplified
That’s a simplistic version of the original
simulate
feign; imitate
The students were put through simulated conversations
sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif
He holds a sinecure job

sinewy
(of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular; N. sinew: tendon; strong cord connecting a muscle to a bone
The wrestler has a sinewy build
singular
being only one; individual; unique; extraordinary; odd
Hers is singular beauty
sinister
evil; ominous
His presence was sinister
sinuous
twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest
The river flowed through a sinuous path
skeptic
sceptic; doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view; ADJ. skeptical; N. skepticism; skepticism
He has a skeptic’s view over everything
skiff
small light sailboat or rowboat
They sailed in a skiff
skimp
provide or use scantily; live very economically; Ex. skimp on necessities; ADJ. skimpy: inadequate in amount; scanty; stingy; niggardly
He skimps on necessities
skinflint
miser; stingy person
A skinflint like him is hard to bear

skirmish
minor fight; minor battle in war; V.
There was a skirmish between the two friends
skittish
inconstant; capricious; frivolous; not serious;
She’s a charming but skittish young woman; CF. skit
skullduggery
dishonest behavior or action
There was evident skullduggery in the election
skulk
move furtively and secretly;
He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city.
slacken
slow up; loosen; make or become slack
Extreme heat slackened his pace
slag
glassy residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
The slag has essential minerals
slake
satisfy (thirst); quench; sate
The crow slaked its thirst from the river
slander
defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements; V. ADJ. slanderous
He made at her a slanderous outburst
slapdash
hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy(carelessly done)
A slapdash comedy

sleazy
shabby and dirty; flimsy; insubstantial; Ex. sleazy back-street hotel/fabric
He waited for the gang at a sleazy back street hotel
sleeper
one that achieves unexpected success; something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable
The play was the sleeper of the season
sleight
dexterity; CF. sleight of hand: legerdemain; quickness of the hands in doing tricks
The world hath many subtle sleights. –Latimer
slew
large quantity or number
The project unraveled a slew of errands left
slight
insult to one’s dignity; snub; V: treat as if of small importance; insult; snub; ADJ. small in size; of small importance
She considered not being invited an unforgivable slight.
slipshod
slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; Ex. slipshod work
That was a slipshod performance
slither
slip or slide
The fish slithered from her palms
sloth
slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
He is a sloth of a person

slough
(of a snake) shed or cast off (dead outer skin); N: outer layer that is shed
They found snake’s slough
slovenly
untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless
She dressed up in a slovenly way
sledge
large sled drawn by work animals
The sledge was drawn by wolves
sluggard
lazy person
A sluggard like him could never be trusted
sluggish
lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic; CF. slug: nail with no shell
There work pace was rather sluggish
sluice
artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)
The dam has sluice gates
slur
slander; insult to one’s character or reputation; V.
The meting was a slur to her reputation
slur
pronounce indistinctly; speak indistinctly; mumble
Her speech is slurred
smattering
slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount
Smattering of German

smelt
melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition
smirk
conceited smile; offensively self-satisfied smile (often at someone else’s misfortune); V.
The villain smirked at the protagonist’s suffering
smolder
smoulder; burn slowly without flame; be liable to break out at any moment; exist in a suppressed state
We could see a smoldering anger within him
snicker
half-stifled(suppressed) laugh; V.
The naughty students snickered at the teacher
snivel
complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle
Don’t come back sniveling to me.
snuffle
sniffle; sniff repeatedly (in order to keep liquid from running out of the nose)
The dog snuffled the purse
sobriety
moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
He lacks sobriety
sober
serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober
He is a sober human being

sodden
thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
He made a sodden performance
sojourn
temporary stay; V: stay for a time
He undertook an extraordinary sojourn
solace
comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble
His words offered her a great solace
solder
repair or make whole by using a metal alloy; N: metal alloy (usually tin and lead) used in the molten state to join metallic parts
The broken parts of the machine were soldered
solecism
nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette
solemnity
seriousness; gravity
Solemnity marked the occasion
solicit
entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain; Ex. solicit votes; CF. solicitor: one who solicits; chief law officer
They solicited his presence
soliloquy
talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
The soliloquy of Hamlet in Hamlet is in Iambic Pentameter

solitude
state of being alone; seclusion; ADJ. solitary: existing or living alone (esp. by choice); remote or secluded; single; sole; Ex. solitary life/inn;
There was no solitary piece of proof
solstice
point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator
soluble
able to be dissolved in a liquid; able to be worked out or solved
Oil is not soluble in water
solvent
able to pay all depths; N. solvency
He is now in a solvent condition
somatic
pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
The somatic cells have the ability to restore
somber
dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow
The house has a somber atmosphere
somnambulist
sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism
He’s a somnambulist
somnolent
half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence
The drug causes somnolence
sonorous
resonant; producing a full deep sound; producing sound
The music was sonorous

sonnet
14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern
Sonnets were originally composed by the Italian poets
sophist
teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
Amir Khusro was a sophist
sophisticated
worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate
They sought for a sophisticated approach
sophistry
seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
Sophistry is being irrational
sophomoric
immature; half-baked; like a sophomore
His sophomoric year in the college was tough
soporific
sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness; drowsy
That’s a soporific drug
sordid
filthy; foul; base; vile; Ex. sordid bed/story
A sordid affair
spangle
small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
Her clothes had spangles of gold
sparse
not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
Sparsely available natural resources

spartan
without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined;
A spartan living condition
spasmodic
fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
A spasmodic grief
spat
squabble; minor dispute; minor quarrel
The girls indulged in a spat
spate
sudden flood or rush;
The government recorded a spate of accidents
spatial
relating to space
A spatial concept
spatula
broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
The chemical is extracted using a spatula
spawn
lay eggs (in large numbers); produce offspring (in large numbers); N: eggs of aquatic animals
A frog spawn
specious
seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
A specious argument

spectral
ghostly; N. specter: specter; ghost; phantom
She usually narrated spectral concepts
spectrum
colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism; broad and continuous range
That’s a whole spectrum of modern thoughts
spendthrift
someone who wastes money; CF. thrift: accumulated wealth
She’s a spendthrift
sphinx-like
enigmatic; mysterious
His ideas are sphinx-like
splice
join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; We tried to splice two strips of tape
spontaneity
lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint; ADJ. spontaneous: self-generated; unpremeditated; happening without being planned
Poetry needs spontaneity
spoonerism
accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. “Let me sew you to your sheet” for “Let me show you to your seat”; CF. William Spooner
Spoonerism is one of the errors of language usage
sporadic
occurring irregularly; intermittent
A sporadic spread of the disease
sportive
playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike
She was not very sportive

spruce
neat and trim in appearance; smart
Be spruce for your job interview
spry
(esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble
He’s spry and dexterous
spurious
false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
They indulged in spurious arguments
spurn
reject disdainfully; scorn
She spurned all offers of help.
squabble
minor quarrel; bickering; V: engage in a minor quarrel
We found squabbling children near the street
squalor
condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; ADJ. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive
That was a squalid story
squander
waste; spend foolishly
They were told not to squander money
squat
short and thick; stocky
That’s an ugly squat tower

staccato
played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound
A staccato applause
stagnant
(of water) not flowing (often bad-smelling); motionless; stale; not developing; inactive; dull
The neglected stagnant industrial output
staid
serious and sedate; sober
They all stood staid during the funeral ceremony
stalemate
deadlock; situation in which further action is blocked
The fight was drawn to a stalemate
stalwart
physically strong; brawny; steadfast; strong in mind or determination; Ex. stalwart supporter;
He’s a stalwart follower
stamina
power of endurance; strength; staying power
She had no stamina to fight more
stanch
stop or check flow of blood
The doctor stanched the gushing wound
stanza
division of a poem (composed of two or more lines)
The poem has three stanzas
static
having no motion; unchanging; lacking development; N. stasis: stable state
A static condition
statute
law enacted by the legislature
We have to abide by the statute
statutory
created by statute or legislative action; regulated by statute;
There’s a statutory age limit for the post
steadfast
steadily loyal; unswerving; steady
He’s a  steadfast individual
stealth
action of moving secretly or unseen; slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness; ADJ. stealthy
He has stealthy looks
steep
soak; saturate;
We have to steep the fabric in the dye bath
stellar
pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding;
He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance
stem
stop or check (the flow of);
The doctors had to stem the bleeding from the slashed artery
stentorian
(of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad
He has a stentorian tone
stereotype
one regarded as embodying a set image or type; fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice; Ex. stereotype of the happy slave; V: make a stereotype of; represent by a stereotype; Ex. stereotyped answer
It is wrong to stereotype people
stickler
perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right
He’s a stickler to rules
Stifle
suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate
She stifled her son’s expression

smother
kill from lack of air; suppress; cover thickly
The page was smothered in little stickers
suffocate
die or kill from lack of air; suppress
The murderer suffocated the woman to death
stigma
token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful
There are still many societal stigmas
stilted
bombastic; stiffly pompous; Ex. stilted rhetoric; CF. stiff: formal
He made a stilted speech
stint
set limits in amount or number; be thrifty; ADJ. stinting, unstinting; CF.
Stint savings
stint
supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; Ex. two-year stint in the army;
They worked without stint

stipend
pay for services
The girl receives a monthly stipend
stipple
paint or draw with dots or short strokes
A stippled scarf
stipulate
state as a necessary condition (of an agreement); make express conditions; specify
He stipulated payment in advance
stock
standard; kept regularly in stock or supply; typical; routine; common; Ex. stock excuse/character; N: goods for sale in a shop; OP. unique
Stock sizes of paper
stockade
wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier
They were told not to cross the stockade
stodgy
dull; stuffy; boringly conservative
That’s a stodgy book
stoic
stoical; impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; N. CF. stoicism
The artist made a stoic performance
stoke
stir up a fire or furnace; feed plentifully
The fire was stoked

stolid
dull; impassive; showing little emotion when strong feelings are expected
He made a stolid presentation
stratagem
deceptive scheme; clever trick
They designed a stratagem
stratified
divided into classes; arranged into strata; V. stratify
Ours was a stratified society
stratum
layer of earth’s surface; layer of society; PL. strata
There are different strata in the earth’s surface
strew
spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
The flower girl was strewing rose petals
striated
marked with parallel bands; striped; grooved; Ex. striated rocks; V. striate; N. stria: thin groove or line
They stood over striated rocks
stricture
severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction
It was hard to bear the critic’s stricture
strident
loud and harsh; insistent; N. stridency
The machine produced a strident and loud sound
stringent
(of rules) binding; rigid; marked by scarcity of money
They lived in stringent economic conditions
strut
pompous walk; V: walk in a self-important manner
The minister struts along the pavilion
studied
carefully contrived; calculated; deliberate; thoughtful;
He made a studied remark
stultify
make stupid in mind; cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; suppress; frustrate or hinder; Ex. stultifying effect of uninteresting work;
Stultify free expression
stupefy
stun; make numb (as with a drug); amaze
They got stupefied at the actor’s performance
stun
make unconscious or numb as by a blow; amaze; astound
A stunning performance
stygian
unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead
We saw a stygian black horse
stymie
thwart; present an obstacle; stump
A stymied expression
stump
base of a tree trunk left after the rest has been cut down; V: walk in a heavy manner; baffle; puzzle
The girl stumped after being hurt

suavity
urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous
His suave manners attracted one and all
subaltern
subordinate
He holds a subaltern position
subdue
less intense; quieter; Ex. subdued lighting; Ex. subdue: conquer; make less intense; quiet;
It was had for him to subdue his anger
subjective
influenced by personal feelings; occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal; Subjective sensation of the ghostly presence
subjugate
conquer; bring under control
The enemies were subjugated
sublimate
refine; purify; replace (natural urges) with socially acceptable activities; change between a solid state and a gaseous state
The solution has to be sublimated
subliminal
below the threshold of conscious perception
They believed in subliminal advertisement
submissive
willing to obey orders; yielding; timid
The girl was very submissive
subordinate
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive; N. V: put in a lower rank or class
He was made a subordinate

subpoena
writ(written command issued by a court) summoning a witness to appear in court;
He received a summon with a subpoena
subsequent
following in time or order; later
The film has a subsequent plot
subservient
behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious; subordinate; N. subservience
His subservient nature irritated her

sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate
The quarrel subsided
subsidiary
serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.
They received a subsidiary allowance
subsidy
direct financial aid by government, etc.; V. subsidize: assist with a subsidy
The company received a subsidy
subsistence
existence; means of subsisting; means of support; livelihood; V. subsist: exist; maintain life (at a meager level)
Agriculture was their sole subsistence
substantial
of substance; material; solid; essential or fundamental; ample; considerable; well-to-do; wealthy
They got a substantial support from the company

substantiate
support (a claim) with evidence; establish with evidence; verify
Nothing could substantiate the loss
subsume
include (as a member of a group); encompass
The responsibility subsumed traveling
subterfuge
stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion;
They resorted to a harmless subterfuge
subtlety
perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; ADJ. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever;
She has a subtle mind
subversive
tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?
A subversive attack
succor
assist (someone in difficulty); aid; comfort; N.
She succored her parents
succulent
juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; N: succulent plant such as a cactus
Cactus is succulent
succumb
yield (to something overwhelming); give in; die
She succumbed to the illness
suffragist
advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage
He is the suffragist of the policy

suffuse
spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge
A blush suffused her cheeks.
sully
defile; soil; tarnish
Sully one’s hands in menial labor
sultry
(of weather) hot; sweltering; sensual; voluptuous
A sultry weather
summation
act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
A summation of total trail
sumptuous
grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich
They arranged for a sumptuous feast
sunder
separate; part; CF. asunder
The chunk was rent asunder
sundry
miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
She invited all and sundry
superannuated
retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete
A superannuated model

supercilious
haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
A supercilious attitude
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
A supererogatory usage of words
superficial
of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial;
He made a superficial analysis
superimpose
place over something else
The files were superimposed
supernumerary
person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number
A supernumerary staff
supersede
replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession
His power superseded
supine
lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision
The defeated pugilist lay supine
supplant
take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
The minister supplanted his opponent
supple
flexible; limber; pliant
The acrobat has a supple body
supplicate
petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
The villagers supplicated their requirements
supposition
assumption; hypothesis; surmise; V. suppose
The villagers survived in suppositions
suppress
put an end to forcibly; subdue; stifle; overwhelm; inhibit the expression of; check; prevent from being published or made public; Ex. suppress the magazine/truth
She tried hard to suppress a smile
surfeit
satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount;
There was surfeit of food
surly
bad-tempered; rude; cross
A surly natured girl
surmise
guess; N
The students were asked to surmise
surmount
overcome
The problem had to be surmounted
surpass
exceed
The girl surpassed her seniors
surreptitious
done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
It was a surreptitious affair

surrogate
substitute; person or thing used in place of another;
A surrogate mother
surveillance
close observation of a person (esp. one under suspicion); watching; guarding
The officer was involved in a surveillance
susceptible
impressionable; easily influenced; sensitive; having little resistance as to a disease; likely to suffer; receptive to; capable of accepting; Ex. susceptible to persuasion/colds
The agreement is not susceptible of alteration; N. susceptibility
sustain
suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life);
She has to sustain the family
sustenance
sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food
He was the only source to provide them with sustenance
suture
stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; V: sew together a wound
She had nine sutures on the laceration
swarthy
(of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky;
A swarthy Italian

swathe
swath; wrap around; bandage
His head was swathed in bandages
swelter
(of a person) suffer from oppressive heat; be oppressed by heat
They sweltered in heat
swerve
deviate; turn aside sharply from a straight course; Ex. swerve from the principle

The car swerved to the right.
swill
drink greedily
The cat swilled the milk
swindler
cheater
She unknowingly spoke to a swindler
sybarite
lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
He leads life of a sybarite
sycophant
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic
He is a sycophant
syllogism
logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
Syllogism is the main component of the examination
sylvan
pertaining to the woods or the country
A sylvan bird

symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
Some bacterium and plants share a symbiotic relationship
symmetry
arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity; ADJ. symmetrical
Symmetrical triangles
synchronous
similarly timed; simultaneous with; occurring at the same time; V. synchronize
She specializes in synchronous swimming
synoptic
providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis
She just read the synopsis of the story
synthesis
combining parts or separate things into a whole; the whole so formed; PL. syntheses; V. synthesize
The synthesis of benzene
synthetic
not natural; artificial; resulting from synthesis; Ex. synthetic fiber; N.
Nylon is a synthetic fiber

Word List Discussion

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4 Responses to “Barron’s S word list”

1. Rohan on July 15th, 2009 1:52 am

   hi,m visitin dis site fa da fist time…donno mch bout it …need help…ll b givin ma GRE test dis sept. m on the 20th wordlist ve covrd up maths portion the essay writin portion is also left..m nt able 2 memorise d words..mean d ones ve heard r ok…bt d rest either ve 2 brk em or learn dem frm hints…bt still a major portion of words r left which i cnt brk n cant relate them 2 nythn…hw 2 learn dose???? need help…

   ROHAN

2. Rohan on July 15th, 2009 1:55 am

   hi,ll b givin ma GRE xame dis sept. m on d 20th wl…maths portion is over…essay writin is yet 2b done…m nt able 2 memorise dese words…d ones i knw r k,d rest ve 2 brk em or learn by relatin em 2 smthn..bt a majority portion of words i cnt relate 2 nythn…n dats wat is my cause of concern….need help!!!

   ROHAN

3. AnuVeluri on July 15th, 2009 6:59 am

   Dear Rohan, once u know the meaning of a particular word you can relate it to something or the other…it need not necessarily be a person or a domestic situation..u can relate the word to a celebrity, an international issue so on and so forth…I also request you to run through our blogs which offer interesting techniques for Vocabulary learning.

   Regards,

4. AnuVeluri on July 15th, 2009 7:09 am

   Dear Rohan, we wish you all the best!!

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