Meaning: a coarse fabric traditionally worn as a sign of mourning

Part of speech: noun

Example: He wore sackcloth to show his grief.

Category: Clothing

Meaning: violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred

Part of speech: noun

Example: Vandalism of the church was considered sacrilege.

Category: Religion

Meaning: a person in charge of the sacristy and its contents

Part of speech: noun

Example: The sacristan prepared the altar for the service.

Category: Religion

Meaning: a room in a church where sacred vessels are kept

Part of speech: noun

Example: The priest went to the sacristy to prepare for the mass.

Category: Religion

Meaning: regarded as too important to be changed or interfered with

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The constitution is considered sacrosanct.

Category: Politics

Meaning: an acronym for 'Seasonal Affective Disorder'

Part of speech: acronym

Example: SAD can affect people's mood during winter.

Category: Health

Meaning: an acronym for 'Seasonal Affective Disorder'

Part of speech: acronym

Example: SAD can affect people's mood during winter.

Category: Health

Meaning: the equipment and supplies for horses

Part of speech: noun

Example: The saddlery had everything a rider needed.

Category: Animals › Equestrian

Meaning: the practice of gaining pleasure from inflicting pain

Part of speech: noun

Example: Sadism is often discussed in psychology.

Category: Psychology

Meaning: a person who derives pleasure from inflicting pain

Part of speech: noun

Example: The sadist enjoyed the suffering of others.

Category: Psychology

Meaning: the practice of deriving pleasure from pain, often in a sexual context

Part of speech: noun

Example: Sado-masochism is a topic in discussions about relationships.

Category: Psychology

Meaning: permission to travel safely through a dangerous area

Part of speech: noun

Example: The diplomat was granted safe conduct.

Category: Politics

Meaning: permission to travel safely

Part of speech: noun

Example: They were granted safe passage through the war zone.

Category: Politics

Meaning: Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The sagacious leader made wise decisions for the community.

Category: Education › Philosophy

Meaning: The quality of being sagacious; wisdom.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Her sagacity in business helped the company thrive.

Category: Education › Philosophy

Meaning: A wise person, often in a philosophical context.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The sage offered advice to those seeking knowledge.

Category: Education › Philosophy

Meaning: Having or showing excessive interest in sexual matters.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The salacious novel was banned in some countries.

Category: Arts › Literature

Meaning: A sudden discharge of artillery or firearms.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The soldiers fired a salvo to celebrate.

Synonyms:

• barrage
• outburst

Meaning: Underground publishing of banned literature.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Samizdat was crucial for spreading dissent.

Category: Politics

Synonyms: underground press

Meaning: To make something holy or sacred.

Part of speech: verb

Example: The priest will sanctify the water.

Category: Religion

Synonyms:

• consecrate
• bless

Meaning: Making a show of being morally superior to others.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His sanctimonious attitude annoyed everyone.

Category: Language

Synonyms: self-righteous

Meaning: The state of being holy or sacred.

Part of speech: noun

Example: They respected the sanctity of the temple.

Category: Religion

Synonyms:

• holiness
• sacredness

Meaning: A sacred place, especially in a temple.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The sanctum was off-limits to outsiders.

Category: Religion

Synonyms: shrine

Meaning: To protect with sandbags or to deceive.

Part of speech: verb

Example: They sandbagged the area to prevent flooding.

Category: Construction

Synonyms: barricade

Meaning: Composure or coolness in difficult situations.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He handled the crisis with sang-froid.

Category: Psychology

Synonyms:

• composure
• calmness

Meaning: Optimistic or positive, especially in a difficult situation.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: Despite the challenges, she remained sanguine.

Category: Psychology

Synonyms:

• optimistic
• hopeful

Antonyms: pessimistic

Meaning: An ancient language of India.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Sanskrit is used in many Hindu texts.

Category: Language

Synonyms: language

Meaning: The species name for modern humans.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Homo sapiens are known for their intelligence.

Category: Science › Biology

Synonyms: humans

Meaning: A type of cancer that arises from connective tissues.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma.

Category: Medicine › Oncology

Synonyms: cancer

Meaning: A stone coffin, often adorned with sculptures.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The sarcophagus was found in an ancient tomb.

Category: History

Synonyms: coffin

Meaning: Grimly mocking or cynical.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His sardonic smile suggested he knew more than he let on.

Category: Language

Synonyms:

• sarcastic
• cynical

Meaning: A highly toxic nerve agent.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Sarin is classified as a chemical weapon.

Category: Science › Chemistry

Synonyms: nerve agent

Meaning: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a viral respiratory illness.

Part of speech: noun

Example: SARs caused a global health crisis.

Category: Medicine › Infectious Diseases

Synonyms: viral illness

Meaning: Relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His sartorial choices were always impeccable.

Category: Fashion

Synonyms:

• fashionable
• stylish

Meaning: A belief system that worships Satan or promotes evil practices.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Satanism is often misunderstood and misrepresented.

Category: Religion › Theology

Meaning: Relating to satire; using humor to criticize.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His satiric comments made the audience laugh.

Category: Arts › Literature

Synonyms: sarcastic

Meaning: Using satire to criticize or mock.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The satirical article highlighted the absurdity of the situation.

Category: Arts › Literature

Synonyms: mocking

Meaning: A person who writes or creates satire.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The satirist used humor to address serious issues.

Category: Arts › Literature

Synonyms: humorist

Meaning: To criticize or mock using satire.

Part of speech: verb

Example: The comedian satirized the political situation.

Category: Arts › Literature

Synonyms: mock

Meaning: Gloomy or morose in temperament.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His saturnine expression made everyone uneasy.

Category: Personality

Synonyms: sullen

Antonyms: cheerful