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English Words Starting With S

15,552 entries — pick a word to see its definition, pronunciation, and usage.

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Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Plural noun Combining form Verb (transitive)Verb (intransitive)Verb (ambitransitive)

shrievalty
nounVery low (historical/archaic)
/ˈʃriːvəlti/The office, jurisdiction, or term of a sheriff.
shrieve
nounVery low (Archaic/Historical)
/ʃriːv/An archaic term for a sheriff or a parish priest.
shrift
nounC2
/ʃrɪft/The act of confessing to a priest or hearing a confession; confession and the resulting absolution.
shrike
nounC1/C2
/ʃraɪk/A medium-sized, predatory songbird of the family Laniidae, known for its habit of impaling prey (like insects or small vertebrates) on thorns or barbed wire to store or tear apart.
shrill
adjectiveadverbnoun+2B2
/ʃrɪl/High-pitched and piercing in sound, often unpleasant or annoying.
shrimp
adjectivenounverb+1B1
/ʃrɪmp/A small, edible, swimming crustacean with a long tail and ten legs, often pink when cooked.
shrimp plant
nounLow
/ʃrɪmplɑːnt/A tropical flowering plant (Justicia brandegeeana) with bracts that resemble shrimp.
shrimper
nounLow
/ˈʃrɪmpə/A person who catches shrimp for a living.
shrimpfish
nounVery Low
/ˈʃrɪmpfɪʃ/A small, slender marine fish of the family Centriscidae, characterized by a long snout and a compressed, almost transparent body.
shrine
nounverbverb-transitiveB2
/ʃraɪn/A holy place, a structure or site considered sacred because of its association with a deity, saint, relic, or important event.
shriner
nounC2 / Low Frequency
/ˈʃraɪ.nər/A member of the Shriners, a fraternal society for Masons.
shrink
nounverbverb-intransitive+1B1
/ʃrɪŋk/To become or make something smaller in size, amount, or value; to move away from something due to fear or disgust.
shrink fit
nounC1-C2
/ʃrɪŋk fɪt/A tight mechanical joint formed by heating an outer component so it expands, then placing it around a cooler inner component; as it cools, it contracts to create a strong interference fit.
shrink-wrap
nounverbverb-transitiveLow-to-Mid
/ˌʃrɪŋk ˈræp/to wrap (a product) tightly in a thin plastic film which is then heated to contract and fit the product snugly.
shrinkage
nounB2
/ˈʃrɪŋkɪdʒ/The process of becoming smaller in size, amount, or value; contraction or reduction.
shrinker
nounC1
/ˈʃrɪŋkə/a person or thing that causes something to become smaller in size, quantity, or significance.
shrinkflation
nounMedium
/ˈʃrɪŋkˌfleɪʃən/The practice of reducing the size or quantity of a product while keeping the price the same, effectively increasing the unit price.
shrinking violet
nounC1/C2
/ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ ˈvaɪələt/A very shy, timid, and retiring person who avoids attention.
shrive
verbverb-intransitiveverb-transitiveVery low frequency / Archaic
/ʃraɪv/To hear a confession, assign penance, and grant absolution (originally as a religious duty, especially before Lent).
shrivel
verbverb-ambitransitiveB2
/ˈʃrɪv(ə)l/To become or cause something to become smaller, wrinkled, and dry due to loss of moisture, often suggesting a loss of vitality or life.

Showing 5721–5740 of 15552 words.