If You Pass This Vocabulary Quiz With All Words That Start With 'S', You May Be a Genius

Serenity is the state of being serene; totally and completely at peace. Example: After my weekend at the yoga retreat and a thorough full body massage at the day spa, I achieved a state of total serenity.

While what is sacrilegious is up for debate, the meaning of the word is pretty straightforward. Example: When I arrived at my friend's wedding dressed like the Devil, many felt it was sacrilegious.

Sober means literally the opposite of drunkenness, but it's worth considering its uses to refer to the cold application of reason. Example: After a sober assessment of the situation, we've come up with a course of action we think will be most effective.

Slack refers to the part of a flexible object that holds tension. If someone loosened their grip on something, the object they're holding (if it's flexible) would go slack. Example: As I ascended the peak, I signaled my partner on the ground holding my safety rope to allow me some slack as I climbed ever higher.

Just as a sequence is an order of things, the word sequential is an adjective referring to things being in a specific order. Example: The participants were organized sequentially according to their age, youngest to oldest.

This word, which is of Scandinavian origin, according to Merriam-Webster, sounds more or less like what it describes. Example: At every Thanksgiving, my relatives and I spent much of the meal squabbling about politics.

Segregation doesn't necessarily have to do with race, but the word was loaded with meaning when it was used to describe the policy of racial separation in the United States. Example: The country club was segregated, with separate swimming pools, locker rooms and drinking fountains for black and white members.

Stamina is more than just fortitude, it's the actual ability to maintain physical or mental effort over a long period of time. Example: To win a triathlon, you need to have great strength of body, mental discipline and physical stamina.

Solace is the state of being consoled. For example: In these times of turmoil and trepidation, we can all find solace in the comfort of our loved ones.

Sardonic is an adjective that refers to mocking something disdainfully. Example: I enjoyed Sean's jokes, but I never felt like any of them were made with a sense of genuine joy, since his wit is so sardonic.

Sumptuous comes to English from the Latin for "expense," thus sumptuous means expensively luxurious. Example: The box of chocolates was as huge and fattening as it was sumptuous and delicious.

Secede, which means to separate from a social construct, has its roots in Latin. Example: The United States Civil War began when the South seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America.

Striations aren't what you'd usually call the stripes on clothing, but the term is used very often in geology and science. Example: The rock formation contained many striations, dating it back to the time of the dinosaurs.

When someone is sagacious, they aren't just wise, they are in the know. Example: My tailor picked the perfect fabric for my new suit with sagacious accuracy.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, scarce's meaning comes from the Latin for "to pluck out," but these days people use it to describe a state of a thing being very hard to obtain. Example: Juggling jobs are scarce, when there is zero gravity.

Satiate can be an adjective that describes the state of satisfaction, or it can be used as a verb, to refer to the act of becoming satisfied. Example: After a long bike ride, nothing will satiate my thirst better than a tall, cold drink.

Sedentary, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, comes from the Anglo-French word for "one who sits." Example: I like to go out most Saturday nights, but tonight I plan on a sedentary evening of ordering in, watching TV and napping.

A subordinate is a much more polite way of saying "lackey." Example: After the meeting, I took my subordinates aside so they could tell me their thoughts without undermining me in front of the staff.

Stupefy doesn't necessarily mean to be made stupid, as the name suggests, but can. More often, it refers to the state of being astonished. Example: I was so shocked by my father's revelation that I was stupefied.

Spurn may have its origins in many languages, as almost every European language has some version of it that sounds a bit like "spurn." All of these words literally mean "to trample" but can mean "to reject" in most modern contexts. Example: When larger companies came to me to try to buy-out my startup, I spurned their advances.

Stoicism was a school of philosophy popular with the ancient Roman set. In it, you do not betray your emotions to others, be those emotions good or bad. These days, it's usually used with regard to withstanding adversity. Example: Whether I'm getting bad personal news, or there's a downturn at work, I endeavor to remain stoic in the face of adversity.

Simian means "monkey-like" in the way that bovine means "cow-like." Example: Without the use of ropes, John climbed the tree in a simian manner.

To be spontaneous, one needs to have sudden impulses that are uninhibited by things like, well, planning. Example: I don't plan my vacations, because planning means I can't be spontaneous.

Like many English words, this one comes from a Latin word that basically just means dirty. Example: The refugees arrived in the camp, excited to get the clean food and medical attention they needed, having lived in squalid conditions across the border.

Stagnant can be used to describe the water in which mosquitoes like to spawn, or the point at which one's academic studies hit a roadblock. Example: Initially, my studies progressed at a good clip, but once I had to delve into trigonometry, I found they became stagnant.

Supple can be used to describe the softness of a surface, the dexterity of hands and the moral flexibility of the less upright. Example: My new wallet is made from gorgeous, supple Italian leather.

According to Merriam-Webster, scion comes from German, where its parent word refers to the sprout or shoot coming from a plant. These days, it's used as a term for the children of a very wealthy family. Example: As the scion of a massive fortune, I worry that no one will ever respect me, because no matter how much success I achieve, my wealth will always overshadow it and make me look like everything was handed to me.

Succinct comes from the Latin meaning "to wrap in a tight band," and that evolved from "things bound tightly together" to "words bound tightly together." Example: As we have a lot of questions to get through, we'd appreciate it if you kept your answers succinct and direct.

Subversive refers to the state of being aligned with the overturning of the status quo, be it government, culture or business norms. Example: Due to my subversive, contrarian way of doing things, I was taken out of the pool of engineers and put on the skunk-works project.

Like many medical terms, this one has its roots in Ancient Greek. Example: My somatic symptoms were bad, but the psychological toll of being unable to play sports was awful.

According to Merriam-Webster, the noun scruple, from which scrupulousness draws its meaning, in turn comes from a Latin word describing both a unit of measurement as well as a sharp stone or sense of unease. The word scruple has come to mean the morals that make us uneasy about certain behaviors, like a sharp stone jabbing us. Example: Scrupulousness is essential for any accountant, and especially important for one I would hire for my company.

Subliminal literally means "below the sensory threshold," according to Merriam-Webster. It is usually used to describe something that tries to influence one's subconscious. Example: The TV ad had a powerful subliminal affect on me, causing me to have an instant thirst!

Schism and all its parent words mean some variation of "to split," according to Merriam-Webster. Example: The schism in the church meant the creation of several new sects.

According to Merriam-Webster, specious's Latin ancestor means both "beautiful" and "plausible," which says a lot about the word's meaning, as well as what Romans thought about beauty and lies. Example: I had to put an end to that rant on Facebook because Sal kept making specious arguments.

Supercilious refers to the kind of arrogance that can't be ignored and is often derided for being over the top. Example: My friend Dan may be an investment banker, but he isn't supercilious, despite being surrounded by colleagues who all consider themselves kings of their domain.