1. Submissive
   Subversive
2. Sateen
   Sequential

Just as a sequence is an order of things, the word sequential is an adjective referring to things being in a specific order. "The participants were organized sequentially according to the spelling of their last names, in alphabetical order."

1. Squalid
   Subordinate
2. Satiate
   Subliminal

Like many English words, this one comes from a Latin word that basically just means dirty. "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."

1. Secession
   Speluncar
2. Segregation
   Subversive

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. "The country club was segregated, with separate swimming pools, locker rooms and drinking fountains for black and white members."

1. Sepian
   Solace
2. Spontaneous
   Schism

Solace is the state of being consoled, as in, "In these times of turmoil and trepidation, we can all find solace in The Good Book."

1. Sagacious
   Secession
2. Sappy
   Screwball

When someone is sagacious, they aren't just wise, they are in the know. "My tailor is sagacious in in choice of fabric for my new suit."

1. Scurrilous
   Spoonerized
2. Sacrilegious
   Spurious

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

1. Serenity
   Sibylline
2. Secession
   Subordinate

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

1. Sanguine
   Syncategorematic
2. Spontaneous
   Sober

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

1. Sumptuous
   Secession
2. Stereophony
   Supernumerary

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

1. Schism
   Sematography
2. Squabble
   Secession

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

1. Sardonic
   Scelerat
2. Slake
   Scion

Sardonic is an adjective that refers to mocking something disdainfully. "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."

1. Secede
   Subliminal
2. Scion
   Slake

Secede, which means to separate from a social construct, has its roots in Latin. "The United States Civil War began when the southern states seceded from the union, forming the CSA."

1. Sottisier
   Stupefy
2. Sematography
   Stereophony

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. "I was so shocked by my father's revelation that I was stupefied."

1. Sottisier
   Scarce
2. Stagnant
   Sanguine

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. "Initially my studies progressed at a good clip, but once I had to delve into trigonometry, I found they became stagnant."

1. Striations
   Syzygy
2. Sabbatarian
   Sottisier

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

1. Satiate
   Sanguine
2. Sedentary
   Subversive

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

1. Scarce
   Scion
2. Sateen
   Syzygy

According to Merriam-Webster, 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. "Juggling jobs are scarce, when there is zero gravity."

1. Subordinate
   Scuncheon
2. Satiate
   Scarce

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. "After a long bike ride, nothing will satiate me better than a tall, cold drink."

1. Subordinate
   Simple
2. Spontaneous
   Stamina

Stamina is more than just fortitude, it's the ability to continue to act when your body tells you to quit. "To win a triathlon, you need to have great strength of body, mental discipline, and physical stamina."

1. Subordinate
   Sallet
2. Sanguineous
   Sateen

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

1. Subliminal
   Scion
2. Slack
   Submissive

Slack refers to the part of a flexible object that holds tension. If someone loosened their grip on something, you could say their grip went slack, for example. "As I ascended the peak, I signaled my partner, on the ground holding my safety line, to allow me some slack as I climbed ever higher."

1. Schism
   Subliminal
2. Subversive
   Simian

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

1. Scelerat
   Sciurine
2. Scuncheon
   Spontaneous

To be spontaneous, one needs to be more than leaving decisions for the last moment, one must be inspired. "I don't plan my vacations, because planning means I can't be spontaneous."

1. Spurn
   Spontaneous
2. Sibylline
   Subvert

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. "When larger companies came to me to try to buy out my startup, I spurned their advances."

1. Stoic
   Spontaneous
2. Satiate
   Speluncar

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. "Whether I'm getting bad personal news, or there's a downturn at work, I endeavor to remain stoic in the face of adversity."

1. Sateen
   Sepian
2. Supple
   Satiate

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

1. Striated
   Syncategorematic
2. Subliminal
   Sabbatarian

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."The TV ad had a powerful subliminal affect on me, causing me to have an instant thirst!"

1. Schism
   Scrupulous
2. Sciurine
   Supernumerary

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. "Scrupulousness is essential for any accountant, and especially important for one I would hire for my company."

1. Sibylline
   Succinct
2. Scarce
   Striated

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." "As we have a lot of questions to get through, we'd appreciate it if you kept your answers succinct and direct."

1. Sanguine
   Subversive
2. Slake
   Subordinate

Subversive refers to the state of being aligned with the overturning of the status quo, be it government, culture or business norms. "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."

1. Somatic
   Subliminal
2. Sateen
   Secession

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

1. Subversive
   Schism
2. Supercilious
   Sepian

Supercilious refers to the kind of arrogance that can't be ignored, and is often derided for being over the top. "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."

1. Sematography
   Schism
2. Sibylline
   Speluncar

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

1. Scelerat
   Sepian
2. Specious
   Subliminal

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. "I had to put an end to that rant on Facebook because Sal kept making specious arguments."

1. Sun
   Son
2. Scion
   Slake

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 of art for the children of the very wealthy. "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."