There are a lot of adjectives starting with the letter ‘s.’
This article will go over some of the more common adjectives that start with ‘s’ and their meanings.
Whether you’re looking for some S adjectives to praise a person nicely, choose the correct S adjective for a poem, or engage in a word game, we hope that you discover exactly what you need and that the perfect words will always be available to you!
List of Adjectives Beginning With Sa-Sk
Safe: not able to be harmed or injured, secure
Sad: feeling or showing unhappiness or sorrow
Saint: a very good person who is kind and helpful, a person that you respect because of their abilities as a spiritual leader
Salty: having the taste of salt
Sarcastic: having a sharp, bitter, and often scornful quality of irony or wit
Sassy: confident, energetic, and full of life
Satisfied: happy with what you have or have done
Savage: (of a person or their actions) fierce, violent, and uncontrolled
Scary: causing fear or horror; frightening
Scared: feeling fear or worry about something that might happen
Scolding: harshly critical or disapproving
Secretive: tending to keep secrets
Secure: not likely to be harmed or lost
Seductive: making someone have sexual feelings
See-through: allowing light to show through so that objects behind can be seen
Self-absorbed: too concerned with your own thoughts, feelings, and activities
Self-aggrandizing: trying to make yourself seem more important or powerful than you are
Self-assured: having a strong belief in your ability to do something
Self-centered: thinking only of yourself and your own needs
Self-critical: too critical of yourself
Self-conscious: aware of and worried about your own appearance, behavior, and the impression you are making on others
Self-confident: having a strong belief in your ability to do something
Self-directed: taking control of your own life and making your own decisions
Self-disciplined: able to control your own behavior
Self-effacing: not bragging about your own achievements
Self-financing: providing the money needed to finance something yourself
Self-fulfilling: causing itself to happen because of the expectations you have of it
Self-indulgent: taking too much pleasure in your own activities or possessions
Self-interested: thinking only of yourself and your own interests
Selfish: concerned for yourself, important to you rather than other people
Self-reliant: able to rely on yourself to do what needs to be done
Self-righteous: feeling that one is better, more moral, or more correct than others
Senseless: not able to think about things in a sensible way
Sensible: able to think about things in a calm and practical way
Sensitive: easily upset by criticism or offended; sensitive
Sensual: involving or providing pleasure through the senses
Sentimental: based on strong feelings rather than reason
Separate: distinctly different
Serene: calm and peaceful
Serious: important and not joking
Servile: too willing to do what other people want
Severe: very bad or serious
Sexy: sexually attractive or exciting
Shabby: in bad condition, shoddy, or untidy
Shady: not completely honest or fair
Shallow: not deep or serious; without much thought or meaning
Shameful: deserving or causing shame
Sharp: having an easily noticed, and unpleasant quality of being able to hurt somebody; having a very thin edge that is able to cut
Sharp-witted: clever and quick at understanding things
Sheer: very great or intense, used especially in the phrase ‘sheer pleasure.’
Shiny/shimmery: reflecting a lot of light and seeming to be wet or covered with a thin layer of water
Shocking: very surprising or shocking; making somebody feel very surprised and upset
Short: not long; not tall
Short-tempered: easily annoyed and quick to react angrily
Shrewd: clever and able to think quickly
Shy: not confident and not wanting to speak to people or be with people
Sickeningly Sweet: too sweet
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Silly: not serious
Silent: not making any noise
Simple: not complicated or difficult to understand
Sincere: honest and showing a lot of feeling
Sinister: wicked or evil in a particularly malicious way
Skeletal: very thin
Skeptical: doubtful or distrustful of someone or something
Skillful: able to do something well because you have had a lot of training or experience
Skimpy: too little; short and revealing clothing
Skinny: very thin
List of Adjectives Beginning With Sl-Sz
Slapdash: done or made without much effort or thought; a mixture of things added together
Sleepy: feel like going to sleep
Slender: thin in an attractive way
Slick: smooth and shining
Slight: not big, strong, or heavy
Slim: thin and not having much flesh on your bones
Slimy: covered in a slippery substance
Slippery: hard to hold on to because it is smooth
Sloped: going down gradually
Sloping: like a slope
Sloppy: careless; too casual
Slothful: unwilling to work or be active
Slow: moving or happening slowly; taking a long time to do something because you are not able or willing to hurry
Slow-moving: moving slowly
Sluggish: slow, inactive, or dull
Slushy: wet and thick like slush
Sly: cunning and deceitful
Smart: intelligent, well-informed, and able to think quickly
Smelling: having the odour of something such as an animal, plant, or food
Small: not large or important
Smooth: (of a person’s skin, for example) free from roughness, bumps, or lines. It also means a very smart and polite way of speaking that is intended to avoid causing offense.
Smug: having or showing a feeling of self-satisfaction or superiority, especially when this is not justified
Sneaky: moving, acting, or done in a quiet and secret way
Snobbish: having or showing a dislike of people who are not considered to be as good as oneself
Snotty: rude, especially in an affected way
Sober: not drunk
Sociable: friendly and enjoying the company of others
Social: involving or concerned with society
Solemn: not happy or cheerful
Solicitous: eager to please someone by offering help, support, attention etc.
Solitary: alone and isolated from other people
Sorrowful: feeling or showing sorrow
Spacious: roomy and comfortable
Spectacular: extremely impressive
Spiritual: concerned with the spiritual or religious realm
Splendid: extremely good and impressive
Spontaneous: happening or done without planning or forethought
Sporty: given to competitive sports and physical activity
Spoiled: having been treated too well and not made to work or suffer
Spunky: lively and full of energy
Stable: not likely to change or be upset
Staggering: so impressive as to stun or overwhelm
Stalwart: loyal and reliable, especially in difficult times
Startling: very surprising, momentary shock
Static: not moving or changing
Stealthy: moving, acting, or done in a quiet and secret way
Stern: severe or strict in manner or appearance
Stingy: unwilling to spend money or give things away
Strict: demanding that something be done in a particular way
Strong: able to withstand great pressure or force
Stubborn: refusing to change an opinion or decision easily
Stylish: fashionable and trendy
List of Adjectives Beginning With Su-Sy
Surly: unfriendly and unwilling to talk politely with other people
Superficial: concerned with what is on the surface only and not with what is underneath
Superior: having a higher rank, status, or quality
Surprising: causing sudden great surprise or amazement
Sullen: angry and silent in a bad-tempered way
Suspicious: tending to suspect that something is the case without having proof; suspicious
Sweet: pleasing in nature or manner
Sympathetic: understanding and supporting someone who has problems or difficulties
Adjectives Starting With S to Describe a Person
Here are some adjectives starting with s that describe a person:
- Sad
- Safe
- Sarcastic
- Sassy
- Scary
- Secretive
- Seductive
- Self-righteous
- Selfish
- Senseless
- Sensible
- Sensitive
- Sexy
- Shallow
- Short
- Short-tempered
- Shy
- Sickeningly Sweet
- Silly
- Simple
- Sinister
- Skeletal
- Skillful
- Smooth
- Snotty
- Sociable
- Solemn
- Sorrowful
- Spectacular
- Spiritual
- Spoiled
- Spontaneous
- Sporty
- Stable
- Staggering
- Stalwart
- Startling
- Static
- Stealthy
- Stern
- Stingy
- Stubborn
- Stylish
- Subtle
- Sullen
- Superior
- Surly
- Surprising
- Suspicious
- Sweet
- Sympathetic
- Self-absorbed
- Self-aggrandizing
- Self-assured
- Self-centered
- Self-confident
- Self-conscious
- Self-critical
- Self-directed
- Self-disciplined
- Self-effacing
- Self-financing
- Self-fulfilling
- Self-indulgent
- Self-interested
- Self-reliant
- Sleepy
- Slender
- Slick
- Slight
- Slim
- Slimy
- Slippery
- Sloppy
- Slothful
- Slow
- Slow-moving
- Sluggish
- Slushy
- Sly
Positive Adjectives Starting With S
- Satisfied
- Secure
- Seductive
- Self-assured
- Self-conscious
- Sensible
- Sentimental
- Servile
- Sexy
- Shrewd
- Sincere
- Smart
- Smiling
- Smooth-talking
- Sociable
- Soothing
- Sophisticated
- Spacious
- Sparkling
- Spontaneous
- Spunky
- Successful
- Self-contented
- Self-controlled
- Selfless
- Skilled
- Skinny
- Sleepy
- Social
- Starry-eyed
Negative Adjectives Starting With S
- Sad
- Sarcastic
- Sassy
- Scared
- Scary
- Secretive
- Selfish
- Senseless
- Sensible
- Sensitive
- Shady
- Shallow
- Short-tempered
- Shy
- Sick
- Sickeningly sweet
- Silly
- Simple
- Sinister
- Skeletal
- Skeptical
- Skinny
- Skittish
- Slack
- Sloppy
- Slothful
- Slow
- Slow-moving
- Sluggish
- Sly
- Small-minded
- Smelly
- Smug
- Sneaky
- Snobbish
- Snooty
- Snotty
- Snug
- Soaked
- Somber
- Sour
- Spicy
- Spoiled
- Stern
- Stingy
- Stressed
- Stupid
- Subtle
- Suspicious
Example Sentences With S Adjectives
- You are so self-conscious when you sing in front of people.
- My aunt was always stingy with her money and never wanted to spend any of it.
- He was very moody and sullen all day after having the argument with his girlfriend.
- She was very surly with me when I asked her about the activities for the weekend.
- She was so sick in the stomach that she couldn’t get out of bed.
- He is a sly businessman who will say anything to make a sale.
- After the argument, she was feeling very sour.
- It was a sloppy mistake and he knew it.
- The party was so successful that they are going to do it again next year.
- She felt very secure in her new job.
- The children were being very silly and running around the house.
- I was stressed out about the presentation and couldn’t focus on anything else.
- He is a very successful businessman.
- The cat was so sluggish that it barely moved all day.
- It was a very strong wind coming off of the ocean.
- She was feeling too smug about her new car.
- The house was so small that they had to share a room.
- The meeting was so subtle that most people didn’t understand what was happening.
- I have a sneaking suspicion that he is lying to me.
- He is not very smart but he does well in life because of his shrewdness.
- They finally became successful after years of hard work.
- The child was so sensitive to the other children’s feelings.
- She is one of the most sensible people I know.
- I’m feeling so sentimental because Thanksgiving is next week.
- He was so seductive that I couldn’t say no.
- Being secretive is never a good idea because it often leads to problems.
- The road is very steep and dangerous.
- Her condition was so serious that she had to be rushed to the hospital right away.
- He was feeling very spiritual and close to God.
- All the Christmas presents spoiled the child.
- My husband is so self-absorbed that he only thinks about himself.
- He was feeling very self-centered and didn’t care about other people.
How to Pronounce the S Sound
The s sound is one of the most common consonants in English.
We often need to pronounce the ‘s’ sound:
The ‘s’ can be pronounced in different ways:
/ ɪz / Sound
The / ɪz / sound is pronounced like an extra syllable.
/ ɪz / as in buses, races, ages, teaches (sounds like bus-iz, race-iz, age-iz, teach- iz)
/ s / Sound
If the last consonant in the word has one of the following voiceless sounds (p, k, t, f, th),, the plural should sound like / s /.
/ s / as in stop, sleep, books, walks, cups, hats, cliffs, months
/ z / Sound
If the last letter makes a voiced consonant sound, then we produce a / z / sound. This sounds similar to a bee making the zzzzz sound.
/ z / as in crabs, plays, boys, wears, sings, cards, runs, pens
In Conclusion
Adjectives are words that describe qualities about people or things. These adjectives starting with s can often be found in front of nouns, sometimes after linking verbs.
The list of adjectives here is not meant to be copied verbatim but used as a resource for looking up the definition or meaning of an adjective.
It’s always good to broaden one’s vocabulary, even if it means learning new words that are synonyms or have similar meanings to words already known.
People who are well-read often have a richer vocabulary than people who do not read or learn new words. Reading is an excellent way to expand one’s vocabulary.
I hope you have found this list of adjectives that start with the letter ‘s’ helpful!
I'm an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.
I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I'm always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!
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