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11 Plus Vocabulary Words Starting With S

56 words with meanings, synonyms, antonyms & example sentences

These are the 56 vocabulary words starting with S from our free 565-word 11 plus vocabulary list, from sacred to system including 5 advanced words of the kind that separates top verbal reasoning scores. Each entry shows the meaning, synonyms, antonyms and an example sentence — the exact skills tested in GL and CEM verbal reasoning, comprehension and cloze questions. You can also download the full list as a free PDF or practise these words with our free vocabulary games.

sacred

/ˈseɪkrɪd/adjective
Intermediate

Connected with God or religious purposes; treated with great respect

The temple is a sacred place for worshippers.

Synonyms: holy, divine, blessed, hallowed

Antonyms: profane, secular, unholy

sacrifice

/ˈsækrɪfaɪs/verb
Intermediate

To give up something valued for the sake of something else

She had to sacrifice her free time to complete the project.

Synonyms: give up, forfeit, surrender, relinquish

Antonyms: keep, retain, gain

sane

/seɪn/adjective
Intermediate

Having a sound and healthy mind; reasonable and sensible

Any sane person would refuse such a dangerous challenge.

Synonyms: rational, sensible, reasonable, lucid

Antonyms: insane, crazy, mad

sanitary

/ˈsænɪtəri/adjective
Intermediate

Relating to conditions that affect health, especially cleanliness

The kitchen must meet strict sanitary standards.

Synonyms: hygienic, clean, sterile, healthy

Antonyms: unsanitary, dirty, unhygienic

satin

/ˈsætɪn/noun
Easy

A smooth, glossy fabric with a shiny surface

The bride wore a beautiful satin gown.

Synonyms: silk, velvet, brocade

scanty

/ˈskænti/adjective
Intermediate

Small or insufficient in quantity or amount

The evidence was scanty, making it hard to reach a conclusion.

Synonyms: meagre, sparse, limited, insufficient

Antonyms: abundant, plentiful, ample

scarce

/skeəs/adjective
Intermediate

Insufficient for the demand; not easy to find

Clean water became scarce during the drought.

Synonyms: rare, limited, sparse, uncommon

Antonyms: abundant, plentiful, common

score

/skɔː/noun
Easy

The number of points achieved in a game or test; twenty

The final score was three to two.

Synonyms: points, result, tally, count

scripture

/ˈskrɪptʃə/noun
Intermediate

Sacred writings of a religion, especially the Bible

The priest read from scripture during the ceremony.

Synonyms: holy text, sacred text, Bible, gospel

secure

/sɪˈkjʊə/adjective
Easy

Protected against danger or threat; free from worry or doubt

The documents are kept in a secure location.

Synonyms: safe, protected, guarded, stable

Antonyms: insecure, unsafe, vulnerable

seize

/siːz/verb
Intermediate

To take hold of suddenly and forcibly; to capture

The police were able to seize the stolen goods.

Synonyms: grab, capture, snatch, grasp

Antonyms: release, free, give

seldom

/ˈseldəm/adverb
Intermediate

Not often; rarely

She seldom misses her morning exercise routine.

Synonyms: rarely, infrequently, hardly ever, occasionally

Antonyms: often, frequently, always

separate

/ˈsepərət/verb
Easy

To cause to move or be apart; to divide into distinct parts

The teacher asked the students to separate into groups.

Synonyms: divide, split, part, disconnect

Antonyms: join, unite, combine

serene

/sɪˈriːn/adjective
Intermediate

Calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil

The lake looked serene in the early morning light.

Synonyms: calm, peaceful, tranquil, placid

Antonyms: agitated, troubled, turbulent

sermon

/ˈsɜːmən/noun
Intermediate

A religious talk given by a preacher; a long lecture about morals

The vicar delivered an inspiring sermon on Sunday.

Synonyms: preaching, lecture, homily, address

shoulder

/ˈʃəʊldə/noun
Easy

The part of the body between the neck and upper arm

He carried the heavy bag on his shoulder.

shrewd

/ʃruːd/adjective
Advanced

Having sharp powers of judgement; clever and astute

The shrewd businesswoman made successful investments.

Synonyms: astute, clever, sharp, cunning

Antonyms: naive, foolish, gullible

shrine

/ʃraɪn/noun
Intermediate

A holy or sacred place dedicated to a specific deity or purpose

Pilgrims travel far to visit the ancient shrine.

Synonyms: sanctuary, temple, altar, chapel

shrink

/ʃrɪŋk/verb
Easy

To become or make smaller in size; to draw back in fear

The jumper will shrink if you wash it in hot water.

Synonyms: contract, reduce, diminish, recoil

Antonyms: expand, grow, enlarge

signature

/ˈsɪɡnətʃə/noun
Easy

A person's name written in their own handwriting as identification

Please put your signature at the bottom of the form.

Synonyms: autograph, name, mark, sign

sincere

/sɪnˈsɪə/adjective
Intermediate

Genuine and honest; free from pretence or deceit

His sincere apology was accepted by everyone.

Synonyms: genuine, honest, truthful, heartfelt

Antonyms: insincere, fake, dishonest

sincerely

/sɪnˈsɪəli/adverb
Easy

In a sincere and genuine manner; truly

I sincerely hope you have a wonderful holiday.

Synonyms: genuinely, honestly, truly, earnestly

Antonyms: insincerely, falsely, dishonestly

sleek

/sliːk/adjective
Intermediate

Smooth and glossy; elegant and streamlined in appearance

The cat had sleek black fur that shone in the sunlight.

Synonyms: smooth, glossy, shiny, polished

Antonyms: rough, dull, unkempt

slope

/sləʊp/noun
Easy

A surface that is higher on one side than the other; an incline

The children enjoyed sledging down the snowy slope.

Synonyms: incline, hill, gradient, slant

Antonyms: flat, level, plain

sly

/slaɪ/adjective
Intermediate

Cunning and deceitful; showing cleverness in achieving one's aims

The sly fox crept quietly towards the henhouse.

Synonyms: cunning, crafty, sneaky, devious

Antonyms: honest, straightforward, open

sober

/ˈsəʊbə/adjective
Intermediate

Not affected by alcohol; serious and sensible in manner

He remained sober throughout the entire party.

Synonyms: serious, sensible, solemn, grave

Antonyms: drunk, intoxicated, frivolous

soldier

/ˈsəʊldʒə/noun
Easy

A person who serves in an army

The brave soldier received a medal for his courage.

Synonyms: warrior, fighter, trooper, serviceman

Antonyms: civilian

sow

/səʊ/verb
Intermediate

To plant seeds by scattering them on the ground

The farmer began to sow wheat in the spring.

Synonyms: plant, seed, scatter, spread

Antonyms: harvest, reap, gather

special

/ˈspeʃəl/adjective
Easy

Better, greater, or different from what is usual; unique

Today is a special day because it's your birthday.

Synonyms: unique, exceptional, distinctive, particular

Antonyms: ordinary, common, usual

stern

/stɜːn/adjective
Intermediate

Serious and strict in manner or attitude; unrelenting

The stern teacher demanded complete silence during the exam.

Synonyms: strict, severe, harsh, firm

Antonyms: lenient, gentle, mild

stomach

/ˈstʌmək/noun
Easy

The organ in the body where food is digested; the belly

Her stomach growled because she had skipped breakfast.

Synonyms: belly, tummy, abdomen, gut

stoop

/stuːp/verb
Intermediate

To bend the body forward and downward; to lower oneself morally

She had to stoop to pick up the coin from the floor.

Synonyms: bend, crouch, lean, bow

Antonyms: straighten, rise, stand tall

stout

/staʊt/adjective
Intermediate

Somewhat fat or heavily built; strong and thick

The stout man struggled to squeeze through the narrow doorway.

Synonyms: sturdy, strong, thick, robust

Antonyms: thin, slender, weak

stress

/stres/noun
Easy

Mental or emotional strain from demanding circumstances; emphasis

The stress of exams affected her sleep.

Synonyms: pressure, strain, tension, anxiety

Antonyms: relaxation, calm, peace

stretched

/stretʃt/adjective
Easy

Extended or pulled to become longer or wider

The stretched elastic band finally snapped.

Synonyms: extended, elongated, expanded, pulled

Antonyms: compressed, contracted, shrunk

stubborn

/ˈstʌbən/adjective
Intermediate

Refusing to change one's mind or position; determined not to yield

The stubborn child refused to apologize.

Synonyms: obstinate, headstrong, determined, persistent

Antonyms: flexible, compliant, yielding

sturdy

/ˈstɜːdi/adjective
Intermediate

Strongly and solidly built; robust and durable

The sturdy table could hold heavy weights.

Synonyms: strong, robust, solid, durable

Antonyms: weak, fragile, flimsy

subdued

/səbˈdjuːd/adjective
Intermediate

Quiet and rather thoughtful or depressed; softened in tone or colour

The usually cheerful boy seemed subdued after the bad news.

Synonyms: quiet, muted, restrained, softened

Antonyms: loud, bright, vibrant

submissive

/səbˈmɪsɪv/adjective
Intermediate

Ready to obey others without resistance; meek and compliant

The submissive dog rolled over at its owner's command.

Synonyms: obedient, compliant, meek, docile

Antonyms: defiant, rebellious, assertive

submit

/səbˈmɪt/verb
Intermediate

To yield to the authority of another; to present for consideration

Please submit your homework by Friday.

Synonyms: surrender, yield, present, offer

Antonyms: resist, defy, withhold

subterfuge

/ˈsʌbtəfjuːdʒ/noun
Advanced

Deceit used to achieve one's goal; a trick or deception

The spy used subterfuge to gain access to the secret documents.

Synonyms: deception, trickery, deceit, ruse

Antonyms: honesty, openness, directness

subterranean

/ˌsʌbtəˈreɪniən/adjective
Advanced

Existing or occurring beneath the earth's surface; underground

The explorers discovered a subterranean cave system.

Synonyms: underground, below ground, subsurface, buried

Antonyms: surface, aboveground, aerial

subtropical

/sʌbˈtrɒpɪkəl/adjective
Intermediate

Relating to regions bordering on the tropics; nearly tropical

The subtropical climate was perfect for growing citrus fruits.

Synonyms: semitropical, warm, humid

Antonyms: arctic, polar, temperate

successful

/səkˈsesfʊl/adjective
Easy

Having achieved one's aims or reached prosperity

The experiment was successful beyond our expectations.

Synonyms: prosperous, thriving, victorious, triumphant

Antonyms: unsuccessful, failed, defeated

succumb

/səˈkʌm/verb
Advanced

To give in to pressure or temptation; to die from an illness

She finally succumbed to the temptation of chocolate cake.

Synonyms: yield, surrender, submit, give in

Antonyms: resist, overcome, fight

sufficient

/səˈfɪʃənt/adjective
Intermediate

Enough; adequate for the purpose

Do we have sufficient supplies for the camping trip?

Synonyms: enough, adequate, ample, satisfactory

Antonyms: insufficient, inadequate, lacking

suggest

/səˈdʒest/verb
Easy

To put forward an idea for consideration; to imply or hint at

May I suggest we take a different route?

Synonyms: propose, recommend, advise, imply

Antonyms: demand, order, command

summit

/ˈsʌmɪt/noun
Intermediate

The highest point of a hill or mountain; the peak level of achievement

The climbers finally reached the summit at noon.

Synonyms: peak, top, apex, pinnacle

Antonyms: base, bottom, foot

superfluous

/suːˈpɜːfluəs/adjective
Advanced

More than is needed or wanted; unnecessary or excessive

The extra decorations seemed superfluous in the already ornate room.

Synonyms: excessive, unnecessary, surplus, redundant

Antonyms: necessary, essential, needed

superior

/suːˈpɪəriə/adjective
Intermediate

Higher in quality, rank, or importance than others

This brand offers superior quality at a reasonable price.

Synonyms: better, higher, excellent, outstanding

Antonyms: inferior, worse, lower

supposed

/səˈpəʊzd/adjective
Easy

Generally assumed or believed to be true; required or expected

The supposed treasure turned out to be worthless.

Synonyms: assumed, believed, expected, required

Antonyms: proven, confirmed, actual

surprise

/səˈpraɪz/noun
Easy

An unexpected event; the feeling caused by something unexpected

The party was a wonderful surprise for her birthday.

Synonyms: shock, astonishment, amazement, wonder

Antonyms: expectation, anticipation

suspect

/səˈspekt/verb
Intermediate

To believe something to be true without certain proof; to doubt

I suspect he knows more than he's telling us.

Synonyms: believe, suppose, think, doubt

Antonyms: trust, believe in, know

suspend

/səˈspend/verb
Intermediate

To hang something from above; to temporarily stop or delay

The decorations were suspended from the ceiling.

Synonyms: hang, delay, postpone, halt

Antonyms: continue, resume, support

symbol

/ˈsɪmbəl/noun
Intermediate

A thing representing or standing for something else

The dove is a symbol of peace.

Synonyms: sign, emblem, icon, representation

system

/ˈsɪstəm/noun
Easy

An organized set of connected things or parts working together

The solar system contains eight planets.

Synonyms: structure, organization, network, arrangement

Antonyms: chaos, disorder, disorganization

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