CEFR Level
To pronounce with a hissing sound.
"The actor sibilated his lines for dramatic effect."
Prophetic, mysterious, or cryptic in meaning.
"The old woman gave a sibylline warning about the future."
Directed to the side; indirect, furtive, or not straightforward.
"She gave him a sidelong glance across the room."
Relating to the stars or constellations; measured relative to the stars.
"Astronomers use sidereal time to track the positions of stars."
the meaning or sense conveyed by a word, action, or symbol
"The signification of the gesture was misunderstood."
a large freshwater fish with silvery scales, commonly farmed for food
"Silver carp is widely cultivated in fish farms across Asia."
Relating to, resembling, or affecting apes or monkeys.
"The scientist studied the simian behavior of the chimpanzees."
The quality or state of being similar; resemblance or likeness.
"There is a striking similitude between the two paintings."
to smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected way
"She simpered at his compliment, clearly embarrassed."
a foolish or gullible person
"They treated him like a simpleton who could not understand anything complex."
an image or representation of someone or something; a superficial likeness
"The statue was only a simulacrum of the ancient god."
a position requiring little or no work but giving financial benefit or status
"He was given a sinecure at the university as a reward for his loyalty."
A tendon; figuratively, the source of strength, power, or resilience.
"The sinews in his arms stood out as he lifted the heavy box."
Lean and muscular; strong and tough.
"The athlete had a sinewy build that showed his strength."
The quality or state of being winding, curving, or having many turns.
"The sinuosity of the river made navigation challenging."
A hot, dry wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
"The sirocco made the city unbearably hot and dusty."
a small, light boat usually for one person
"The fisherman paddled his skiff across the lake."
a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
"The landlord was such a skinflint that he never repaired anything."
underhanded or dishonest behavior
"The politician was accused of financial skulduggery."
dishonest behavior or activities, often done secretly
"The election was full of political skullduggery."
To satisfy thirst or desire.
"She drank cold water to slake her thirst."
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
"The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors."
a woman who is untidy or slovenly in appearance or habits
"The house looked as if a slattern lived there."
Skill or dexterity, especially in performing tricks.
"The magician amazed the crowd with his sleight of hand."
done in a careless, sloppy, or untidy way
"The project failed due to slipshod planning."
Lazy, idle, and unwilling to work.
"She was too slothful to get out of bed early."
To shed or cast off (like dead skin); also a swampy or muddy area.
"The snake sloughed off its old skin."
Untidy or careless in appearance, habits, or work.
"His slovenly appearance made a bad impression at the interview."
A lazy, sluggish person.
"The sluggard refused to get out of bed even at noon."
A sliding gate for controlling the flow of water; to wash or rinse with water in large quantities.
"The workers sluiced the mud off the street after the heavy rain."
Excessively flattering or ingratiating, often insincerely.
"The salesman gave a smarmy pitch that felt fake."
a long, curved vegetable that resembles a snake, commonly used in South Asian cuisine
"The snake gourd grows in a twisted, serpentine shape in the garden."
to cry or complain in a weak or annoying way
"He began to snivel when he didn’t get his way."
to breathe noisily through the nose, often because of crying or a cold
"The child began to snuffle after crying for a long time."
a person's nickname or descriptive name
"The famous leader was known by the sobriquet 'The Iron Lady'."
thoroughly soaked or saturated with liquid
"His clothes were sodden after the heavy rain."
A temporary stay at a place; to stay temporarily
"She enjoyed a brief sojourn in Paris during the summer."
The fifth note of the sol-fa musical scale (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti); also the Latin word for sun
"The choir practiced singing the note sol during rehearsal."
a grammatical mistake in speech or writing; a breach of good manners or etiquette
"His speech was full of solecisms and awkward phrases."
showing concern or care for someone's health, happiness, or comfort
"She was always solicitous about the well-being of her students."
Care or concern for someone or something.
"His mother showed great solicitude for his safety."
Relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.
"Yoga can improve both somatic and mental health."
A person who sleepwalks.
"The somnambulist wandered out of the house at night."
Tending to induce sleep; soporific.
"The professor's somniferous lecture put half the class to sleep."
A strong desire for sleep or drowsiness.
"After the heavy meal, he felt a wave of somnolence."
Sleepy or drowsy; causing a desire to sleep.
"The somnolent lecture made half the class fall asleep."
a person who claims to predict the future
"The king consulted a soothsayer before going to war."
a clever but misleading argument; fallacious reasoning
"The politician's speech was full of sophism designed to mislead voters."
