Verbs that start with S carry a sense of movement, success, and spark. From words like soar, shine, and support to strengthen and succeed, these action verbs don’t just describe an activity but also they inspire it. The letter S, one of the most frequently used in English, makes these verbs versatile and impactful for storytelling, essays, professional writing, or everyday communication. Whether you’re aiming to uplift, motivate, or simply add rhythm to your writing, exploring verbs that begin with S is a sure way to sharpen your vocabulary and make your sentences shine.
The list of verbs that start with S includes a wide variety of positive, powerful, and practical choices that can elevate your writing. These verbs range from simple everyday actions like say and send to more expressive ones such as sparkle, sustain, and simplify. By incorporating these words into your work, you can add clarity, creativity, and confidence to your communication. Whether you’re crafting academic content, storytelling, or professional pieces, this collection of S verbs will give your writing extra polish and precision.
Common Verbs Starting With S
Say – to express something in words. Example: She didn’t say a word during the meeting.
See – to perceive with the eyes. Example: I can see the mountains from my window.
Show – to present or display. Example: He will show us his new artwork.
Send – to cause something to go to another place. Example: Please send me the documents by email.
Sit – to be seated. Example: She asked him to sit beside her.
Stand – to be upright on the feet. Example: The teacher asked the students to stand up.
Start – to begin. Example: Let’s start the project tomorrow.
Stop – to come to an end or cease. Example: The bus will stop at the next station.
Speak – to talk or communicate verbally. Example: He can speak three languages fluently.
Sleep – to rest in a natural unconscious state. Example: The baby sleeps peacefully at night.
Stay – to remain in a place. Example: We decided to stay at home during the storm.
Study – to apply the mind to learning. Example: She studies history at university.
Sell – to give something in exchange for money. Example: They sell fresh fruit at the market.
Serve – to provide assistance or a service. Example: The waiter served the food quickly.
Search – to look for something. Example: He searched for his lost keys everywhere.
Positive Verbs Starting With S
Verb
Meaning
Example
Succeed
to achieve the desired result
She succeeded in her career through hard work.
Shine
to glow or be radiant
His talent shines on every stage.
Support
to assist or encourage
Friends support each other during hard times.
Smile
to form an expression of happiness
She smiled warmly at the children.
Share
to give part of something to others
He shared his notes with the class.
Strengthen
to make something stronger
Exercise strengthens the body and mind.
Simplify
to make something easier
The teacher simplified the lesson for the students.
Save
to keep safe or rescue
The doctor saved the patient’s life.
Sparkle
to shine brightly or with enthusiasm
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Soar
to fly or rise high
The eagle soars above the mountains.
Secure
to make safe or protect
He secured a job at a leading company.
Soothe
to calm or ease discomfort
The music soothed her worries.
Satisfy
to meet expectations or desires
The meal satisfied everyone at the table.
Surpass
to exceed or go beyond
Her performance surpassed expectations.
Sympathize
to show compassion or understanding
I sympathize with your situation.
Action Verbs Starting With S
Strike – to hit forcibly. Example: The workers went on strike for fair wages.
Sprint – to run at full speed. Example: He sprinted across the field to catch the ball.
Smash – to break violently into pieces. Example: The vase smashed on the floor.
Shoot – to fire a bullet or projectile. Example: The soldier shot at the target.
Swing – to move back and forth. Example: The child swung on the playground swing.
Snatch – to grab quickly. Example: The thief snatched the purse and ran.
Slide – to move smoothly along a surface. Example: He slid the paper across the table.
Scratch – to scrape with nails or claws. Example: The cat scratched the furniture.
Spin – to rotate quickly. Example: The wheel spun rapidly.
Shout – to speak loudly. Example: She shouted for help.
Struggle – to make a strenuous effort. Example: He struggled to lift the heavy box.
Slap – to hit with an open hand. Example: She slapped the mosquito on her arm.
Stab – to pierce with a sharp object. Example: He stabbed the apple with a knife.
Stretch – to extend or lengthen. Example: She stretched her arms before exercising.
Sniff – to inhale through the nose. Example: The dog sniffed around the park.
Regular Verbs That Start With S
Verb
Meaning
Example
Sail
to travel on water using a boat
They sailed across the river.
Select
to choose from a group
She selected the best answer.
Search
to look for
He searched the room for his keys.
Skip
to jump lightly
The child skipped down the path.
Shout
to yell loudly
He shouted for his friend.
Start
to begin
The race started at 9 a.m.
Step
to move by lifting the foot
She stepped into the room quietly.
Succeed
to achieve something
She succeeded after years of effort.
Suggest
to recommend something
He suggested a new idea.
Support
to assist or back someone
They supported the charity project.
Suppose
to assume or believe
I suppose you’re right about that.
Subtract
to take away a number
Subtract 5 from 10 to get 5.
Surround
to enclose on all sides
The castle was surrounded by a moat.
Supply
to provide what is needed
The store supplied fresh vegetables daily.
Switch
to change or replace
She switched off the lights.
Irregular Verbs Starting With S
Say – said – said → to express in words. Example: She said she would call later.
See – saw – seen → to perceive with the eyes. Example: I saw a rainbow this morning.
Sell – sold – sold → to exchange for money. Example: He sold his old car last week.
Send – sent – sent → to dispatch something. Example: She sent me a message yesterday.
Sing – sang – sung → to produce musical sounds with the voice. Example: He sang beautifully at the concert.
Sit – sat – sat → to take a seat. Example: She sat near the window.
Sleep – slept – slept → to rest by sleeping. Example: The baby slept all night.
Speak – spoke – spoken → to talk. Example: He spoke at the conference.
Spend – spent – spent → to use time or money. Example: They spent the weekend in the city.
Stand – stood – stood → to be upright. Example: The statue has stood for centuries.
Steal – stole – stolen → to take without permission. Example: The thief stole her wallet.
Stick – stuck – stuck → to adhere or attach. Example: He stuck the photo on the wall.
Strike – struck – struck/stricken → to hit. Example: The clock struck midnight.
Swim – swam – swum → to move in water. Example: She swam across the pool.
Swear – swore – sworn → to take an oath or use offensive language. Example: He swore to tell the truth.
Phrasal Verbs Starting With S
Verb
Meaning
Example
Set up
to establish or arrange
They set up a new business in town.
Show off
to boastfully display
He loves to show off his new car.
Sort out
to organize or resolve
We need to sort out the schedule.
Stand by
to support or be ready
She stood by her friend during tough times.
Speak up
to talk louder or express oneself
Please speak up, I can’t hear you.
Step down
to resign or withdraw
The manager stepped down from his position.
Stick to
to remain committed
He stuck to his promise.
Switch off
to turn something off
Don’t forget to switch off the lights.
Switch on
to activate or turn on
She switched on the computer.
Sign up
to register or enroll
He signed up for the workshop.
Slow down
to reduce speed
The driver slowed down near the school.
Set off
to begin a journey or trigger something
The alarm set off suddenly.
Stand out
to be noticeable
Her red dress made her stand out in the crowd.
Stay up
to remain awake
They stayed up late watching movies.
Step up
to increase effort or responsibility
She stepped up to lead the project.
Rare and Unique Verbs Starting With S
Scintillate – to sparkle or flash. Example: The stars scintillated in the night sky.
Substantiate – to provide proof or evidence. Example: He substantiated his claim with documents.
Sanctify – to make holy or sacred. Example: The ritual sanctified the ground.
Sabotage – to deliberately destroy or obstruct. Example: The enemy sabotaged the bridge.
Succumb – to give way to pressure or temptation. Example: She succumbed to her illness.
Supersede – to replace or take the place of. Example: The new model superseded the old version.
Sublimate – to channel impulses into higher pursuits. Example: He sublimated his anger into creative work.
Scrutinize – to examine carefully. Example: The lawyer scrutinized the contract.
Satiate – to satisfy fully. Example: The meal satiated their hunger.
Smolder – to burn slowly without flame. Example: The fire smoldered in the ashes.
Stipulate – to demand as a requirement. Example: The contract stipulated strict conditions.
Sequester – to isolate or set apart. Example: The jury was sequestered during the trial.
Siphon – to draw off liquid using a tube. Example: He siphoned water from the tank.
Subdue – to bring under control. Example: Police subdued the suspect quickly.
Surmise – to guess or infer without strong evidence. Example: She surmised he was hiding something.
Popular & Impactful Verbs That Start With S
Verb
Meaning
Example
Save
to protect or keep safe
The firefighters saved the family from danger.
Solve
to find an answer
She solved the puzzle in minutes.
Support
to help or encourage
The teacher supported her students fully.
Strengthen
to make stronger
Regular exercise strengthens your body.
Shine
to radiate or stand out
Her hard work shines through in her results.
Succeed
to achieve goals
He succeeded despite many obstacles.
Simplify
to make easier
The guide simplified the complex process.
Share
to give a portion of something
She shared her happiness with her friends.
Stimulate
to encourage activity or growth
The teacher stimulated interest in science.
Stand
to remain firm or upright
He stood firm on his beliefs.
Start
to begin
They started working on the new project.
Serve
to provide or assist
The volunteers served food to the poor.
Shape
to form or influence
Experiences shape our personality.
Speak
to communicate
She spoke clearly during the debate.
Survive
to continue to live despite difficulties
The climber survived the harsh conditions.
Fun Facts About Words Beginning With S
Most Popular Starting Letter – The letter S is one of the most common starting letters in English words, especially verbs. This is partly because prefixes like sub-, super-, and self- contribute to its wide usage.
Symbol of Movement & Action – Many S verbs convey motion or strength (like soar, sprint, strike), making them naturally energetic and impactful in writing.
Sound Psychology – Linguists note that the “s” sound often suggests smoothness, speed, or sharpness, depending on context (slip, swift, snap). This gives S-verbs an added emotional effect in speech.
Roots in Latin & Old English – A huge portion of S-verbs come from Latin roots (support, sustain, simplify), while others come directly from Old English (see, sit, stand), showing a rich mix of linguistic history.
S is a “Shapeshifter” – Many verbs that begin with S easily transform into nouns and adjectives. For example, support (verb) → supporter (noun), supportive (adjective). This flexibility makes S-verbs highly versatile in communication.
Common S-verbs include say, see, show, sit, start, stop, send, study, sell, and sleep.
Positive verbs include succeed, shine, support, smile, share, simplify, strengthen, soothe, and surpass.
Examples include see (saw, seen), sit (sat, sat), sleep (slept, slept), speak (spoke, spoken), and swim (swam, swum).
Useful phrasal verbs include set up, show off, sort out, stand by, speak up, step down, switch off, and sign up.
Because many S-verbs suggest movement, progress, and positivity (soar, succeed, strengthen, support), they naturally add energy and clarity to writing and speech.
You can use S-verbs to make your writing more vivid and action-driven. For example, instead of saying “he did well,” you can write “he succeeded” or “he shined in his role.”
Conclusion
Verbs that start with the letter S bring style, strength, and significance to the English language. From common and everyday verbs like say, see, and sit to more impactful ones like succeed, shine, and support, these words carry both power and versatility. They not only make communication clear but also add vibrancy, positivity, and rhythm to writing. Whether you’re a student, writer, or language enthusiast, building a list of S verbs can enrich your vocabulary, sharpen your expression, and make your sentences stand out.
