Adjectives That Start With S | List & Examples

There are many adjectives (words that describe a noun) that start with S. A few of the most common adjectives that start with S are:

• Safe
• Sane
• Scenic
• Sharp
• Shiny
• Solid
• Strong
• Stylish
• Sad
• Scary
• Selfish
• Shy
• Stale
• Same
• Scarce
• Scientific
• Secondary
• Short
• Sudden

This article has lists of many adjectives that start with an S, divided into positive, negative, and neutral.

The QuillBot AI chat is an easy way to find the adjective you want or to check a word’s meaning.

Positive adjectives that start with S

This is a list of adjectives that start with S with a positive connotation:

• Sacred: Holy; revered; worthy of respect
• Safe: Free from harm; secure; protected
• Sane: Mentally sound; rational; reasonable
• Satisfactory: Acceptable; adequate; meeting requirements
• Savvy: Well-informed; shrewd; knowledgeable
• Scenic: Picturesque; offering beautiful views;
• Scholarly: Academic; learned; intellectual
• Seasoned: Treated with salt or seasonings; experienced; skilled
• Secure: Stable; protected; free from danger
• Sedate: Calm; composed; unhurried
• Sensational: Outstanding; exciting; spectacular
• Sensible: Reasonable; practical; wise
• Sensitive: Easily affected emotionally; perceptive; responsive
• Sensual: Pleasing to the senses; physically gratifying
• Serene: Peaceful; calm; untroubled
• Settled: Stable; established; resolved
• Sharp: Intelligent; perceptive; having a fine edge
• Shiny: Bright; glossy; reflecting light
• Shrewd: Clever; astute; having good judgment
• Significant: Important; meaningful; considerable
• Sincere: Genuine; honest; heartfelt
• Skilled: Proficient; accomplished; expert
• Smart: Intelligent; fashionable; neat
• Snappy: Stylish; lively; quick
• Sociable: Friendly; outgoing; inclined to seek company
• Solid: Firm; dependable; of good quality
• Sophisticated: Cultured; complex; refined
• Sparkling: Glittering; lively; brilliant
• Special: Exceptional; distinctive; unique
• Spectacular: Impressive; striking; breathtaking
• Speedy: Fast; quick; prompt
• Splendid: Magnificent; superb; excellent
• Spontaneous: Unplanned; impulsive; natural
• Sporty: Athletic; stylish in a casual way
• Spotless: Immaculately clean; flawless
• Sprightly: Lively; energetic; spirited
• Stable: Steady; balanced; secure
• Stalwart: Loyal; reliable; strong
• Stellar: Outstanding; excellent; like a star
• Stimulating: Exciting; invigorating; mentally engaging
• Straightforward: Direct; honest; easy to understand
• Striking: Eye-catching; noticeable; impressive
• Strong: Powerful; robust; resilient
• Stunning: Extremely impressive; beautiful; breathtaking
• Stylish: Fashionable; elegant; chic
• Suave: Smooth; charming; sophisticated
• Successful: Achieving goals; prosperous; effective
• Suitable: Appropriate; fitting; proper
• Sunny: Cloudless; bright; cheerful; optimistic
• Supportive: Helpful; encouraging; reassuring
• Supreme: Highest in rank; greatest; ultimate
• Sure: Certain; confident; definite
• Sustainable: Environmentally sound; able to continue
• Sweet: Pleasant; kind; delightful

Negative adjectives that start with S

Here’s a list of adjectives that start with an S with a negative connotation. When applied to a person, these would almost always be considered insults.

• Sad: Unhappy; sorrowful; depressing
• Sanctimonious: Self-righteous; hypocritically moralistic
• Savage: Fierce; violent; cruel
• Scandalous: Shocking; offensive; morally wrong
• Scant: Barely sufficient; meager; inadequate
• Scary: Frightening; intimidating; alarming
• Scattered: Dispersed; disorganized; spread out
• Scheming: Devious; planning secretly; manipulative
• Scornful: Showing contempt; disdainful; derisive
• Scrappy: Aggressive; pugnacious; disorganized
• Screechy: Harsh; high-pitched; unpleasant
• Seedy: Run-down; shabby; sordid
• Selfish: Concerned only with oneself; egocentric
• Senseless: Without meaning; irrational; pointless
• Severe: Harsh; extreme; strict
• Shabby: Worn-out; dilapidated; inferior
• Shaky: Trembling; unstable; weak
• Shallow: Superficial; lacking depth; trivial
• Shameless: Without shame; brazen; audacious
• Sharp-tongued: Harsh in speech; biting; caustic
• Shifty: Deceptive; untrustworthy; evasive
• Shocking: Startling; disturbing; offensive
• Short-tempered: Easily angered; irritable
• Shrewish: Bad-tempered; scolding; quarrelsome
• Shrill: High-pitched; piercing; harsh
• Shy: Timid; reserved; lacking confidence
• Sickly: Weak; unhealthy; prone to illness
• Silly: Foolish; lacking seriousness; trivial
• Sinful: Wicked; immoral; shameful
• Sketchy: Suspicious; unsafe; dubious
• Sloppy: Careless; messy; poorly done
• Sluggish: Slow; lacking energy; inactive
• Smelly: Having a bad odor; stinky
• Smug: Self-satisfied; conceited; superior
• Sneaky: Secretive; sly; dishonest
• Snobbish: Arrogant; condescending; elitist
• Snooty: Haughty; stuck-up; disdainful
• Snotty: Rude; conceited; ill-mannered
• Soiled: Dirty; stained; polluted
• Sore: Painful; aching; irritated
• Sour: Acidic; resentful; unpleasant
• Spiky: Sharp-pointed; irritable; prickly
• Spiteful: Malicious; mean-spirited; vindictive
• Spoiled: Ruined; overindulged; rotten
• Squalid: Filthy; degraded; miserable
• Stale: No longer fresh; unoriginal; flat
• Standoffish: Aloof; unfriendly; distant
• Stark: Bare; harsh; grim
• Steep: Precipitous; expensive; excessive
• Sticky: Adhesive; humid; unpleasantly clinging
• Stiff: Rigid; formal; difficult to move
• Stingy: Unwilling to spend; miserly
• Stodgy: Dull; uninspired; boring
• Stormy: Turbulent; angry; tempestuous
• Strained: Tense; uneasy; forced
• Strange: Unusual; odd; unfamiliar
• Stressful: Causing stress; demanding; taxing
• Strict: Demanding adherence; severe; rigorous
• Stubborn: Unyielding; obstinate; inflexible
• Stuffy: Lacking fresh air; dull; formal
• Stupid: Lacking intelligence; foolish; senseless
• Substandard: Below quality; inferior; deficient
• Suspicious: Distrustful; doubtful; questionable
• Swollen: Enlarged; puffy; distended

Neutral adjectives that start with S

The following adjectives that start with an S have neither a positive nor negative connotation.

• Sacrificial: Relating to a sacrifice; offered as a sacrifice
• Sacrilegious: Violating something sacred (contextual)
• Salient: Most noticeable; prominent; important
• Same: Identical; unchanged; not different
• Sarcastic: Using irony to mock; sharp (tone-based)
• Scaly: Covered with scales; flaky
• Scarce: Limited; rare; in short supply
• Scientific: Based on science; methodical; factual
• Secondary: Second in rank; less important; subordinate
• Secret: Hidden; concealed; private
• Secure: Fixed; fastened; hard to move
• Segmented: Divided into parts; sectioned
• Selected: Chosen; picked; preferred
• Self-employed: Working for oneself; freelance
• Semicircular: Half-circle shaped
• Separate: Distinct; divided; unconnected
• Sequential: Following in order; consecutive
• Serious: Grave; important; not playful
• Set: Fixed; established; ready
• Sexual: Relating to sex or gender
• Shiny: Reflecting light; bright (neutral sense)
• Short: Limited in length; brief; small in height
• Silent: Without sound; quiet; speechless
• Similar: Alike; resembling; comparable
• Simple: Easy; not complex; plain
• Single: One; separate; unmarried
• Sizable: Fairly large; considerable
• Slender: Thin; slight; narrow
• Slow: Not fast; sluggish; taking time
• Small: Little in size; minor
• Smooth: Even; free from roughness; flowing easily
• Soft: Not hard; gentle; yielding
• Solid: Firm; not hollow; stable
• Square: Shaped like a square; right-angled
• Standard: Usual; normal; established
• Static: Motionless; unchanging; fixed
• Stationary: Not moving; static
• Steady: Firm; stable; not shaking
• Straight: Not curved; direct; upright
• Subjective: From one point of view; not objective
• Subsequent: Following; later; next
• Substantial: Large; considerable; important
• Sudden: Abrupt; unexpected; swift
• Superficial: Shallow; surface-level; not deep
• Supplementary: Additional; extra
• Surplus: Extra; more than needed
• Symmetrical: Balanced; proportionate; even
• Systematic: Organized; methodical; structured

Adjectives with other letters

If you’re looking for adjectives that start with another letter, you can visit one of our other articles.

Frequently asked questions about adjectives with S

What are some adjectives starting with S to describe a person?

Some adjectives that start with S to describe a person include:

• Sane
• Scholarly
• Shrewd
• Smart
• Suave
• Scary
• Scheming
• Selfish
• Shifty
• Silly
• Snooty
• Spiteful
• Sarcastic
• Serious
• Short
• Superficial

If you’re looking for the right adjective or synonym, you can always ask QuillBot’s AI chat for suggestions or definitions.