This list includes 64 SAT words that start with S, from “sagacious” to “systematic”. These words frequently appear on the exam and in academic writing, useful for essays, reading comprehension, and precise expression.
SAT words that start with S are select vocabulary items beginning with S that have high payoff on the SAT. Many derive from Latin roots and show up in classic literature and opinion pieces.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Difficulty, Definition, and Example sentence.
Word: Shows the vocabulary entry so you can scan and pick words to learn or review quickly.
Difficulty: Gives an easy, medium, or hard tag so you prioritize study and focus on words that suit you.
Definition: Provides a concise dictionary-style meaning so you grasp the word’s core sense without extra jargon.
Example sentence: Shows one clear sentence that demonstrates typical usage and helps you see the word in context.
SAT words that start with S
| Word | Difficulty | Part of Speech | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| sagacious | hard | adj. | having keen practical judgment and wisdom. |
| salient | medium | adj. | most noticeable or important. |
| sardonic | medium | adj. | grimly mocking or cynical. |
| sanguine | medium | adj. | optimistically confident or hopeful. |
| satiate | medium | verb | to satisfy fully (especially appetite); to fill. |
| satirical | medium | adj. | using humor or irony to criticize. |
| saturate | medium | verb | to soak thoroughly or fill completely. |
| scathing | medium | adj. | severely critical or harsh. |
| scintillating | hard | adj. | brilliantly lively, stimulating, or witty. |
| scoff | easy | verb | to mock or speak derisively. |
| scrutinize | medium | verb | to examine closely and critically. |
| scrupulous | hard | adj. | very careful about moral correctness or detail. |
| secluded | easy | adj. | hidden away; sheltered from view or activity. |
| sequester | hard | verb | to isolate, set apart, or confiscate. |
| serendipity | hard | noun | fortunate discovery by accident. |
| serene | easy | adj. | calm, peaceful, and untroubled. |
| sermonize | medium | verb | to deliver a moralizing lecture. |
| servile | medium | adj. | overly submissive or eager to please. |
| skeptical | medium | adj. | doubting or questioning the truth of something. |
| skeptic | medium | noun | a person inclined to doubt accepted beliefs. |
| skittish | medium | adj. | easily frightened or excitable; unpredictable. |
| solicit | medium | verb | to request or seek earnestly. |
| solicitous | medium | adj. | showing concern or care for someone. |
| solvent | medium | adj. | able to meet financial obligations; dissolving agent. |
| somber | medium | adj. | serious, dark, or gloomy in tone. |
| somnolent | hard | adj. | sleepy or drowsy; inducing sleep. |
| sonorous | hard | adj. | having a deep, rich sound. |
| sophomoric | medium | adj. | immature and overconfident; lacking maturity. |
| soporific | hard | adj. | inducing sleep; drowsy in effect. |
| sparse | medium | adj. | thinly dispersed or scanty in amount. |
| specious | hard | adj. | seemingly plausible but actually false. |
| spectrum | medium | noun | a range or scale of related values or qualities. |
| speculate | medium | verb | to form a theory without firm evidence. |
| spurious | hard | adj. | false or fake; not genuine. |
| sporadic | medium | adj. | occurring irregularly or infrequently. |
| stalwart | medium | adj. | loyal, reliable, and hardworking. |
| static | easy | adj. | not moving or changing; fixed. |
| staunch | medium | adj. | firmly committed and loyal. |
| staid | hard | adj. | serious, proper, and unadventurous in character. |
| stigma | medium | noun | a mark of disgrace or social disapproval. |
| stoic | medium | adj. | showing endurance of hardship without complaint. |
| strident | medium | adj. | loud, harsh, or forcefully assertive. |
| stringent | medium | adj. | strict, precise, and exacting. |
| substantiate | hard | verb | to provide evidence to support or prove. |
| substantive | medium | adj. | having real importance or value; substantial. |
| subtle | medium | adj. | delicate or not obvious; hard to detect. |
| succinct | medium | adj. | brief and clearly expressed. |
| sumptuous | hard | adj. | lavishly rich or superior in quality. |
| superficial | medium | adj. | only on the surface; not deep or thorough. |
| superfluous | hard | adj. | unnecessary because extra to requirements. |
| supplement | easy | verb | to add something to enhance or complete. |
| surmise | medium | verb | to infer without sufficient evidence. |
| surreptitious | hard | adj. | kept secret because it would be disapproved. |
| susceptible | medium | adj. | likely to be influenced or harmed by something. |
| sustain | medium | verb | to support, maintain, or keep up. |
| sycophant | hard | noun | a person who flatters others for advantage. |
| symmetry | easy | noun | balanced proportions or correspondence between parts. |
| symbolic | medium | adj. | serving as a symbol or representation. |
| sympathize | easy | verb | to share or support another’s feelings or troubles. |
| synthesize | medium | verb | to combine parts into a coherent whole. |
| systematic | medium | adj. | methodical and organized according to a plan. |
| sanction | medium | verb | to authorize or penalize; grant official approval. |
| sanguinary | hard | adj. | involving much bloodshed or violence. |
| sashay | easy | verb | to walk in an ostentatious, confident manner. |
Descriptions
sagacious
He gave sagacious advice during the crisis. Appears on major SAT and academic vocabulary lists.
salient
The most salient point in her essay was the economic data. Appears frequently in SAT prep materials.
sardonic
His sardonic laugh revealed his disbelief. Included in major prep lists and standard dictionaries.
sanguine
Despite setbacks, she remained sanguine about recovery. Found in SAT word lists and dictionaries.
satiate
A good meal will satiate your hunger. Listed in major SAT prep books.
satirical
The column offered a satirical take on politics. Appears in college-prep and literary word lists.
saturate
The rain saturated the soil within hours. Common in SAT reading and context questions.
scathing
Her review was scathing and unforgiving. Included in SAT vocab lists and major dictionaries.
scintillating
He delivered a scintillating lecture on poetry. Appears in advanced prep materials and dictionaries.
scoff
They scoffed at the unusual plan. Appears in common SAT and reading lists.
scrutinize
Scientists scrutinize the data for errors. Common in SAT passages and prep books.
scrupulous
She is scrupulous about citing sources. Found in SAT lists and major dictionaries.
secluded
They bought a secluded cottage by the lake. Appears in basic SAT vocabulary lists.
sequester
The jury was sequestered during the trial. Included in advanced SAT and legal vocabulary sources.
serendipity
Finding the letter was pure serendipity. Appears in many high-value vocab lists and dictionaries.
serene
The lake looked serene at dawn. Common on SAT word lists and reading passages.
sermonize
He tends to sermonize about healthy habits. Found in prep books and standard dictionaries.
servile
His servile attitude annoyed colleagues. Appears in SAT and academic word lists.
skeptical
She was skeptical of the bold claims. Common in SAT reading and prep materials.
skeptic
A skeptic questioned the study’s methodology. Included in SAT vocab lists and dictionaries.
skittish
The horse was skittish near fireworks. Appears in many reading-focused SAT lists.
solicit
They solicited donations for the cause. Found in standard SAT prep materials.
solicitous
He was solicitous about her recovery. Included in SAT and academic word lists.
solvent
The company remained solvent after restructuring. Appears in SAT and business-reading lists.
somber
The mood at the funeral was somber. Common on SAT word lists and reading passages.
somnolent
The medication left him somnolent all day. Found in advanced vocab lists and dictionaries.
sonorous
His sonorous voice filled the auditorium. Appears in literary SAT lists and dictionaries.
sophomoric
The joke seemed sophomoric and trite. Included in major prep and academic lists.
soporific
The lecture proved soporific for many students. Found in high-level vocab lists.
sparse
Vegetation was sparse on the rocky slope. Common in SAT reading and prep resources.
specious
The argument was specious despite its polish. Appears in advanced SAT vocabulary lists.
spectrum
The debate covered a wide political spectrum. Included in SAT and academic word lists.
speculate
Economists speculate about future trends. Common in SAT passages and prep books.
spurious
He offered spurious reasons for the delay. Found in SAT prep and academic word lists.
sporadic
Her attendance was sporadic this semester. Appears on SAT and vocabulary lists.
stalwart
She was a stalwart member of the team. Included in prep books and dictionaries.
static
The population growth was static last year. Common in SAT materials and readings.
staunch
He remained a staunch supporter of reform. Appears in SAT lists and major dictionaries.
staid
Her staid manner suited the office. Found in advanced vocabulary lists.
stigma
The illness carried a social stigma. Appears in SAT readings and prep materials.
stoic
She remained stoic despite the bad news. Included in SAT and literary lists.
strident
The candidate’s strident rhetoric annoyed voters. Found in SAT prep lists and dictionaries.
stringent
The school enforces stringent safety rules. Common in SAT and academic word lists.
substantiate
Researchers substantiated the claim with data. Appears frequently in prep books and academic lists.
substantive
They made substantive changes to the policy. Found in SAT and academic vocabulary lists.
subtle
The artist used subtle shifts in color. Common in SAT prep and reading lists.
succinct
Her response was succinct and to the point. Appears in SAT vocabulary lists and style guides.
sumptuous
They attended a sumptuous banquet at the palace. Found in advanced SAT and literary lists.
superficial
His understanding of the issue was superficial. Common in SAT prep materials.
superfluous
Remove superfluous details to strengthen the essay. Included in major prep lists and dictionaries.
supplement
She took vitamins to supplement her diet. Appears in common SAT vocab lists.
surmise
We can only surmise his motives. Found in SAT reading and prep materials.
surreptitious
They held a surreptitious meeting after hours. Included in advanced vocab lists and prep books.
susceptible
Children are susceptible to peer pressure. Appears in SAT and academic word lists.
sustain
The policy helped sustain economic growth. Common in SAT readings and prep resources.
sycophant
The office sycophant praised the boss constantly. Included in many advanced vocab lists.
symmetry
The building’s symmetry appealed to architects. Appears in basic SAT and academic lists.
symbolic
The dove is symbolic of peace. Found in SAT readings and prep materials.
sympathize
I sympathize with your difficult decision. Common in SAT vocabulary lists.
synthesize
Scientists synthesize data from many studies. Appears in academic word lists and prep books.
systematic
They used a systematic approach to research. Included in SAT and academic vocabularies.
sanction
The board may sanction the new policy. Appears on SAT lists due to dual meanings.
sanguinary
The battleground had a sanguinary history. Found in advanced literary lists and major dictionaries.
sashay
She sashayed down the runway during rehearsal. Appears in contemporary reading lists and dictionaries.