GRE Word List S(part 3)

small in size; of small importance
slink move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush)
slipshod slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; Ex. slipshod work
slither slip or slide
sloth slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
slough (of a snake) shed or cast off (dead outer skin); N: outer layer that is shed
slovenly untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless
sluggard lazy person
sluggish lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic; CF. slug: nail with no shell
sluice artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)
slur pronounce indistinctly; speak indistinctly; mumble
sly clever in deceiving; secretive; not telling one’s intentions
smart intelligent; quick and energetic; fashionable; Ex. smart pace/restaurant; V: cause or feel a sharp pain; N: smarting pain
smattering slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount; Ex. smattering of German
smear spread or cover with a sticky substance; N: mark made by smearing
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.
smolder smoulder; burn slowly without flame; be liable to break out at any moment; exist in a suppressed state; Ex. smoldering anger
smother kill from lack of air; suppress; cover thickly; Ex. smothered in little stickers
smudge dirty mark with unclear edges made by rubbing; V.
smug self-satisfied; complacent
sneak move, give, or take in a quiet, stealthy way; N: one who sneaks; ADJ. sneaky
snicker half-stifled(suppressed) laugh; V.
snip short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors
snivel complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle; Ex. Don’t come back sniveling to me.
snub ignore or behave coldly toward; Ex. I made a suggestion but she snubbed me; N.
snuffle sniffle; sniff repeatedly (in order to keep liquid from running out of the nose)
soar rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky.
sober serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober
sobriety moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
sodden thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
sojourn temporary stay; V: stay for a time
solace comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble
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
solecism nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette
solemnity seriousness; gravity
solicit entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain; Ex. solicit votes; CF. solicitor: one who solicits; chief law officer
solicitor lawyer in the lower court of law
solicitous anxious; worried; concerned; eager; Ex. solicitous to do something; N. solicitude
soliloquy talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
solitude state of being alone; seclusion; ADJ. solitary: existing or living alone (esp. by choice); remote or secluded; single; sole; Ex. solitary life/inn; Ex. 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
solvent substance that dissolves another; ADJ: capable of dissolving another substance
somatic pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
somber dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow
somnambulist sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism
somnolent half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence
sonic of sound or its speed in air; CF. subsonic, supersonic
sonnet 14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern
sonorous resonant; producing a full deep sound; producing sound
soothsayer one who foretells the future
sophist teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
sophisticated worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate
sophistry seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
sophomoric immature; half-baked; like a sophomore
soporific sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness; drowsy
sordid filthy; foul; base; vile; Ex. sordid bed/story
sound in good condition; showing good judgment or good sense; thorough; complete; Ex. sound mind/investment/training
sour having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; V.
sovereign ruler in a monarchy; ADJ: (of a country) independent and self-governing; having supreme power; supreme; excellent
sovereignty complete independence and self-government (of a country); supremacy of authority; power to govern
sow plant or scatter seed
spangle small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
spare give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; Ex. spare me 5 minutes; Ex. Take this money and spare my life; Ex. The emperor was spared the onus; ADJ: kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; Ex. spare time
sparse not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
Spartan without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined; Ex. spartan living condition/life
spasmodic fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
spat squabble; minor dispute; minor quarrel
spate sudden flood or rush; Ex. spate of accidents
spatial relating to space
spatula broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
spawn lay eggs (in large numbers); produce offspring (in large numbers); N: eggs of aquatic animals
specious seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
speck small piece or mark; Ex. speck of dust in the eye
spectral ghostly; N. specter: spectre; ghost; phantom
spectrum colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism; broad and continuous range; Ex. whole spectrum of modern thoughts
speechless unable for the moment to speak (because of strong feeling); Ex. speechless with anger
spendthrift someone who wastes money; CF. thrift: accumulated wealth
sphinx-like enigmatic; mysterious
spin rotate swiftly; make (thread) by twisting (cotton, wool, etc.); N.
splice join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; Ex. splice two strips of tape; N.
spoilsport one who spoils the pleasure of others
spontaneity lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint; ADJ. spontaneous: self-generated; unpremeditated; happening without being planned
spoof parody
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
sporadic occurring irregularly; intermittent
sportive playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike
sprout begin to grow; give off shoots or buds; N: new growth on a plant; shoot
spruce neat and trim in appearance; smart; Ex. Be spruce for your job interview; V.
spry (esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble
spurious false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; Ex. spurious arguments
spurn reject disdainfully; scorn; Ex. She spurned all offers of help.
squabble minor quarrel; bickering; V: engage in a minor quarrel; Ex. squabbling children
squalor condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; ADJ. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive; Ex. squalid story
squander waste; spend foolishly
squash crush; quash; suppress
squat short and thick; stocky; Ex. ugly squat tower; V. N.
squeamish easily shocked or sickened by unpleasant things; fastidious; Ex. A nurse should not be squeamish.
squelch produce a splashing sound (when stepping through mud); crush; squash;
staccato played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound; Ex. staccato applause
stagnant (of water) not flowing (often bad-smelling); motionless; stale; not developing; inactive; dull; Ex. stagnant industrial output
staid serious and sedate; sober; Ex. staid during the funeral ceremony