SLOUGH (v) [slou]
Syn: cast off
Ant: take on
Usage: The geranium sloughs off the dry brown leaves at the base of its branches.
SLUGGARD (n) [SLUGH-erd]
Syn: lazy person
Ant: dynamo
Usage: Bob did not employ Don because he seemed like a sluggard.
SLUGGISH (adj) [SLUGH-ish]
Syn: slow; lazy; lethargic
Ant: energetic
Usage: The economy remains sluggish.
SMART (v) [smahrt]
Syn: be hurt in one’s feeling
Ant: assuage; help; soothe
Usage: He is still smarting over the bad reviews that his book got.
SMATTERING (n) [SMAT-er-ing]
Syn: slight knowledge
Ant: abundance
Usage: I have good knowledge of English and a smattering of French grammar.
SMIRK (n) [smurk]
Syn: conceited smile
Usage: Her mouth was drawn back into a smirk of triumph.
SNIVEL (v) [SNIV-uh l]
Syn: run at the nose; snuffle; whine
Usage: I moved away as soon as Billy started to snivel.
SOBRIETY (n) [suh-BRAHY-i-tee]
Syn: moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
Ant: levity
Usage: Society depends on certain values like sobriety and trust.
SOJOURN (n) [SOH-jurn]
Syn: temporary stay
Ant: residence
Usage: We resumed our journey after a short sojourn at a wayside inn.
SOLECISM (n) [SOL-uh-siz-uh m]
Syn: construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically
Ant: correct language usage
Usage: The English teacher made it clear that she would any more solecisms would earn students “F” grades.
SOLICITOUS (adj) [suh-LIS-i-tuh s]
Syn: worried; concerned
Ant: carefree; inconsiderate
Usage: He was so solicitous of his guests, anticipating their every need.
SOLILOQUY (n) [suh-LIL-uh-kwee]
Syn: talking to oneself
Ant: dialogue
Usage: His soliloquy brought tears to the audience’s eyes.
SOLSTICE (n) [SOL-stis]
Syn: point at which the sun is farthest from the equator; height
Ant: depth
Usage: They have decided to hold their annual celebrations on the day of the summer solstice every year.
SOMATIC (adj) [soh-MAT-ik]
Syn: corporeal; physical; of the body
Ant: intellectual
Usage: I think she is suffering from great somatic pain after running the marathon.
SOMNAMBULIST (n) [som-NAM-byuh-liz-uh m]
Syn: sleepwalker
Usage: Bob thinks Danny is a somnambulist for he finds him eating a sandwich in the kitchen nearly every morning at 2AM.
SOPHIST (n) [SOF-ist]
Syn: teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning
Usage: The author has collaborated with a reputed sophist for his next book.
SOPHISTICATION (n) [suh-fis-ti-KEY-shuh n]
Syn: artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in reasoning
Ant: innocence
Usage: Words can’t describe the sophistication of the world’s richest city.
SOPORIFIC (adj) [sop-uh-RIF-ik]
Syn: sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness
Ant: stimulating; invigorating
Usage: Bob did not know what he was blabbering while under the soporific effects of the alcohol.
SPANGLE (n) [SPANG-guh l]
Syn: small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
Usage: She lay on the grass watching the dark night sky spangled with stars.
SPASMODIC (adj) [spaz-MOD-ik]
Syn: fitful; periodic; not continuous
Ant: continuous;
Usage: He managed to stifle the spasmodic sobs rising in his throat.
SPATIAL (adj) [SPEY-shuh l]
Syn: relating to space
Usage: He had to move his office to a different premise because of spatial constraints.
SPATULA (n) [SPACH-uh-luh]
Syn: broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
Usage: Betty smoothed the batter with a spatula before pushing the dish into the oven.
SPAWN (v) [spawn]
Syn: lay eggs in large quantities (like fish); create
Ant: destroy
Usage: His research has spawned a whole new branch of science.
SPECIOUS (adj) [SPEE-shuh s]
Syn: seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
Ant: genuine
Usage: Duke was not convinced by her specious arguments; he still doubted her intentions.
SPONTANEITY (n) [on-tuh-NEE-i-tee]
Syn: lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint
Ant: premeditation; constraint
Usage: He had the spontaneity of a child.
SPORADIC (adj) [spuh-RAD-ik]
Syn: occurring irregularly
Ant: general; prevalent; continuous
Usage: The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard at intervals through the night.
SPURIOUS (adj) [SPYOO r-ee-uh s]
Syn: false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
Ant: genuine; true; veritable; legitimate; authentic
Usage: He was arrested on spurious corruption charges.
SQUABBLE (n) [SKWOB-uh l]
Syn: minor quarrel; bickering
Ant: harmony
Usage: They are upset about a silly squabble.
SQUANDER (v) [SKWON-der]
Syn: waste
Ant: save; retain; hoard; hold; acquire; get
Usage: He has squandered away more than half of his inheritance within a year of his father’s death.
STACCATO (adj) [stuh-KAH-toh]
Syn: played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound
Ant: continuous and melodic
Usage: He spoke in short staccato bursts.
STAID (adj) [steyd]
Syn: dull and serious; sober; sedate
Ant: exuberant; flighty; indiscreet; eccentric; agitated
Usage: He had to spend the night at a staid wayside hotel in order to rest his horses and replenish his supplies.
STANCH (v) [stawnch]
Syn: check flow of blood
Usage: He stanched the flow of blood with a piece of cotton cloth.
STATIC (adj) [STAT-ik]
Syn: unchanging; lacking development
Ant: dynamic; changing
Usage: Both his paintings are of static subjects.
STEADFAST (adj) [STED-fast]
Syn: loyal; unswerving
Ant: obliging; wavering,;capricious; uncertain; dubious; irresolute
Usage: He remained steadfast in his love.
STELLAR (adj) [STEL-er]
Syn: pertaining to the stars; impressive
Ant: lowly
Usage: His was a real stellar rise to popularity.
STENTORIAN (adj) [sten-TAWR-ee-uh n]
Syn: very loud (voice)
Ant: quiet (voice)
Usage: He bellowed in a stentorian voice.
STEREOTYPED (adj) [STER-ee-uh-tahypt]
Syn: oversimplified; lacking individuality; seen as a type
Ant: unique
Usage: Scientists have always had the stereotyped image as complete nerds, despite their varied interests and talents.
STIGMA (n) [STIG-muh]
Syn: token of disgrace; brand
Ant: decoration; laurels; credit; renown
Usage: There is still a meaningless stigma attached to certain professions like acting, relegating them to lower levels of respect.
STIPEND (n) [STAHY-pend]
Syn: pay for services
Usage: He is able to live comfortably off the stipend the university paid him.
STIPULATE (v) [STIP-yuh-leyt]
Syn: make express conditions; specify
Ant: retract; decline; refuse; withdraw; disagree
Usage: The match rules stipulate the number of extra golf clubs they can carry in their bags.
STOCKADE (n) [sto-keyd]
Syn: wooden enclosure or pen
Ant: open range
Usage: I had not gone a hundred yards when I reached the stockade where his prize stallion was secured
STODGY (adj) [STOJ-ee]
Syn: stuffy; boringly conservative
Ant: interesting
Usage: He was tired of having heard nothing but stodgy politicians the whole week.
STOLID (adj) [STOL-id]
Syn: dull; impassive
Ant: acute; quick; clever; bright; sensitive
Usage: He looked up at the stolid face of the doctor, unable to determine whether the diagnosis was good or bad.
STOLIDITY (n) [stuh-LID-i-tee]
Syn: dullness; impassiveness
Ant: excitement; passion
Usage: The stolidity of the parents after the loss of the child was a reflection of having been through so much trauma that they no longer felt anything.
STRATAGEM (n) [strat-uh-juhm]
Syn: clever trick
Usage: Various stratagems had been devised to conceal the withdrawals from the Ottoman Army.
STRIATED (adj) [STRAHY-ey-tid]
Syn: marked with parallel bands; grooved
Ant: smooth; solid
Usage: The geologist studied the striated rock to learn from its bands more about the history of the region.
STRINGENT (adj) [STRIN-juh nt]
Syn: binding; rigid
Ant: flexible
Usage: Ever since the bombing near the embassy, there have been stringent security measures.
STRUT (n) [struht]
Syn: supporting bar (secondary meaning)
Usage: The architect designed the main strut to support loads from wind, snow, people, and the building itself.
STULTIFY (v) [STUHL-tuh-fahy]
Syn: cause to seem foolish or useless
Ant: glorify
Usage: Too much of this drink can stultify your brain
STYGIAN (adj) [STIJ-ee-uh n]
Syn: literary dark
Ant: brightness
Usage: His antics seemed hellish and stygian, at times even macabre.
SUBALTERN (n) [suhb-AWL-tern]
Syn: navy officer; subordinate
Usage: The man told me he served the navy in the position of a subaltern and had come ashore just two days ago.
SUBORN (v) [suh-BAWRN]
Syn: persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); incite
Ant: improve
Usage: Peter Jones was arrested on the charges of trying to suborn a government official.
SUBPOENA (n) [suh-PEE-nuh]
Syn: writ summoning a witness to appear; warrant; mandate
Usage: The entire staff of the company was served subpoenas to appear as witnesses for the prosecution.
SUBSERVIENT (adj) [suh b-SUR-vee-uh nt]
Syn: behaving like a slave; servile; obsequies
Ant: superior
Usage: The man’s subservient, servile attitude was beginning to get on my nerves.
SUBSISTENCE (v) [suh b-SIS-tuh ns]
Syn: existence; means of support; livelihood
Syn: deadness
Usage: Even for the barest form of subsistence, he needed some money.
SUBSTANTIATE (v) [suh b-STAN-shee-eyt]
Syn: establish by evidence; verify; support
Ant: contradict; disprove
Usage: The evidence was too meager and trivial to substantiate the charges.
SUBSUME (v) [suh b-SOOM]
Syn: include; encompass
Ant: exclude
Usage: The project report will subsume a table of contents, a preface, thirty pages of research, and an appendix.
SUBTLETY (n) [SUHT-l-tee]
Syn: perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy
Ant: obviousness
Usage: The subtlety and delicacy with which she got Jack to agree to the plan was indeed remarkable.
SUCCINCT (adj) [suh k-SINGKT]
Syn: brief; terse; compact
Ant: prolix; diffuse; discursive; long
Usage: The speech was short, concise and succinct.
SUFFRAGIST (n) [SUHF-ruh-jist]
Syn: advocate of voting rights (for women)
Usage: In addition to being a reputed lawyer, Holly James was also a suffragist and often fought for women’s rights.
SUFFUSE (v) [suh-FYOOZ]
Syn: permeate; to cover or spread over (esp. with a color or a liquid)
Ant: pull back to the core
Usage: Her voice was low and suffused with warmth.
SULTRY (adj) [SUHL-tree]
Syn: sweltering; hot and humid
Ant: cool and dry
Usage: The sultry equatorial conditions made the visitors feel tired for much of the day.
SUMPTUOUS (adj) [SUHMP-choo-uh s]
Syn: lavish; rich
Ant: poor; mean; inexpensive; sordid; beggarly; frugal
Usage: A large, sumptuous feast was laid out for them in the garden.
SUPERANNUATED (adj) [soo-per-AN-yoo-ey-tid]
Syn: retired on pension because of age
Usage: The infrastructure being used at the office was superannuated and obsolete.
SUPERCILIOUS (adj) [soo-per-sil-ee-uhs]
Syn: arrogant; condescending; patronizing
Ant: humble
Usage: His mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air.
SUPERFLUOUS (adj) [soo-PUR-floo-uh s]
Syn: unnecessary; excessive; overabundant
Ant: essential; necessary; required; scant; deficient
Usage: The superfluous words of praise embarrassed the humble servant.
SUPERNUMERARY (n) [soo-per-NOO-muh-rer-ee]
Syn: person or thing in excess of what is necessary
Ant: essential
Usage: As a supernumerary employee, he was the first to be fired when cost-cutting began.
SUPPLANT (v) [suh-PLANT]
Syn: replace; usurp; displace
Ant: include
Usage: The candidate from Texas supplanted the one from Montana.
SUPPLIANT (n) [SUHP-lee-uh nt]
Syn: beggar
Usage: The fact that he was a suppliant and often begged for favors from the higher ups didn’t speak too highly about him.
SUPPOSITION (n) [suhp-uh-ZISH-uh n]
Syn: hypothesis; the act of supposing
Ant: proof
Usage: It was a mere supposition on his part; he had no proof to support his guesswork.
SUPPRESS (v) [suh-pres]
Syn: stifle
Ant: allow
Usage: Parents should not force children to suppress their curiosity.
SURFEIT (n) [SUR-fit]
Syn: excess
Ant: lack; deprivation
Usage: The grains at the warehouse were in huge surplus and surfeit this month.
SURMOUNT (v) [ser-MOUNT]
Syn: overcome
Ant: succumb; fail; miss; submit; lose
Usage: With a slow and deliberate effort, the army surmounted the enemy.
SURREPTITIOUS (adj) [sur-uh p-TISH-uh s]
Syn: secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
Ant: open; frank; honest; ingenuous
Usage: He surreptitiously slid out the backdoor at midnight and walked to the highway where Jill said she’d be waiting with the car.
SURVEILLANCE (n) [ser-VEY-luh ns]
Syn: watching; guarding
Ant: privacy
Usage: The government ordered day and night surveillance on the former minister’s residence even as charges were being prepared against him.
SUTURE (n) [SOO-cher]
Syn: stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing
Ant: incision
Usage: The doctor then sutured her abdomen, thus signaling the end of the surgery.
SWELTER (v) [SWEL-ter]
Syn: be oppressed by heat
Ant: shiver
Usage: This summer, the heat is sweltering and stifling.
SWINDLER (n) [SWIN-dl]
Syn: cheat
Ant: honest person
Usage: He is a third-rate swindler, con-man and very disreputable.
SYBARITE (n) [SIB-uh-rahyt]
Syn: lover of luxury; hedonist
Ant: puritan
Usage: He is a sybarite and loves to enjoy the more sensual pleasures of life.
SYCOPHANT (n) [SIK-uh-fuh nt]
Syn: servile flatterer; follower
Ant: leader
Usage: His ingratiating and servile behavior makes him a sycophant, but if you tell him that he will never accept it.
SYLVAN (adj) [SIL-vuh n]
Syn: pertaining to the forest
Ant: urban
Usage: The quiet, sylvan and pleasing atmosphere was perfectly ideal for the writers to work on their stories.
SYMBIOSIS (n) [sim-bee-OH-sis]
Syn: cooperation of people or between animals or birds
Ant: conflict
Usage: The families of the two brothers lived in perfect harmony, mutual reliance and symbiosis.
SYNCHRONOUS (adj) [SING-kruh-nuh s]
Syn: similarly timed; simultaneous with
Ant: asynchronous
Usage: The two processes were running synchronously, and reached completion at the same time.
SYNTHETIC (adj) [sin-THET-ik]
Syn: combining parts into a whole; man-made
Ant: natural
Usage: Sonia’s gown was tailored in genuine silk while Bella’s outfit was made out of synthetic fabric.
TACIT (adj) [TAS-it]
Syn: understood; not put into words
Ant: open; avowed; declared; expressed
Usage: The husband and wife had a remarkable tacit understanding between themselves, sometimes making words unnecessary.
TAINT (v) [teynt]
Syn: contaminated; corrupt
Ant: purify; cleanse; disinfect; efface
Usage: She was tainted with a bad name for her misdeeds and driven out of the kingdom.
TANGENTIAL (adj) [tan-JEN-shuh l]
Syn: peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing
Ant: core; critical
Usage: The bullet had hit the door in a tangential shot, chipping off a scant millimeter of wood.
TANTAMOUNT (adj) [TAN-tuh-mount]
Syn: equivalent in force, effect, or value
Ant: different; opposite; reverse
Usage: His action, though small, was tantamount to sacrilege and the elders rebuked him for it.
TANTRUM (n) [TAN-truh m]
Syn: fit of petulance; caprice
Usage: The child was throwing too many tantrums, causing his mother to grow very frustrated.
TARANTULA (n) [tuh-RAN-chuh-luh]
Syn: venomous spider
Usage: To their horror they found a huge tarantula spider under the bed.
TARRY (v) [TAR-ee]
Syn: delay; dawdle
Ant: pres;, push; speed; hasten
Usage: I did not comprehend their need to tarry the process; as far as I was concerned I wanted to hurry it up.
TAUT (adj) [tawt]
Syn: tight; ready
Ant: loose
Usage: He tied one last taut knot, thus securing the bundle tightly around the bike and then set off on the road for the long journey.
TAUTOLOGICAL (adj) [taw-TOL-uh-jee]
Syn: needlessly repetitious
Ant: original
Usage: His speech was getting longwinded and tautological, causing a number of people in the audience to yawn.
TEDIUM (n) [TEE-dee-uh m]
Syn: boredom; weariness
Ant: interest
Usage: There seemed to be no end to the tedium and boredom at this backward place.
TEETOTALISM (n) [TEE-toht-l-iz-uhm]
Syn: practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks
Ant: drunkenness
Usage: However, by the 1840s temperance societies began advocating teetotalism.
TEMERITY (n) [tuh-MER-i-tee]
Syn: boldness; rashness
Ant: timidity; caution; calculation
Usage: That such a puny little guest would have the temerity to talk back to the master of the household was shocking and unbelievable to him.
TEMPESTUOUS (adj) [tem-pes-choo-uhs]
Syn: stormy; impassioned
Ant: calm
Usage: I have become anxious watching the tempestuous relationship between these one-time friends.
TEMPORAL (adj) [TEM-per-uh l]
Syn: not lasting forever; limited by time
Ant: religious; eternal; sacerdotal
Usage: Some kind of temporal arrangements for shelter had been made for the flood victims.
TENACITY (n) [tuh-NAS-i-tee]
Syn: firmness; persistence
Ant: timidity
Usage: The man’s tenacity and persistence are what took him to such great heights.
TENSILE (adj) [TEN-suh l]
Syn: capable of being stretched; pliable
Ant: brittle
Usage: The fabric’s tensile strength was still to be measured.
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