110+ Negative Words That Start With S: Categories, Meanings, and Examples
Negative words that start with S appear often in everyday conversations, writing, and even professional settings. These words can describe undesirable personality traits, harmful behaviors, troubling emotions, and unpleasant conditions. They carry weight because language influences how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. By exploring these words in organized categories, you can better understand their meanings and use them thoughtfully. This guide breaks down negative “S” words into personality, behavior, emotions, situations, communication styles, and physical states, with examples for clarity.
Negative Words for Personality Traits
Personality shapes how people interact with the world, and many negative words that start with S describe flawed or unappealing character qualities.
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Selfish – caring only for oneself.
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Stubborn – refusing to change or listen.
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Spiteful – deliberately cruel or vindictive.
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Snobbish – looking down on others.
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Superficial – shallow or lacking depth.
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Suspicious – overly distrustful.
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Sulky – withdrawn in silent displeasure.
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Sanctimonious – hypocritically self-righteous.
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Skeptical – excessively doubtful.
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Stingy – unwilling to share or give.
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Scornful – expressing disdain.
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Slovenly – untidy or careless.
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Scheming – devious or manipulative.
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Shallow – lacking depth in character.
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Shortsighted – lacking foresight.
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Sanctified (negative sense) – self-righteous or pretentious holiness.
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Self-absorbed – preoccupied with one’s own interests.
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Self-important – arrogant or pompous.
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Sardonic – grimly mocking or cynical in attitude.
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Shameless – lacking modesty or moral restraint.
Negative Words for Behavior and Actions
These words highlight negative patterns of conduct that frustrate, harm, or disappoint others.
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Sneaky – acting in secret to deceive.
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Sloppy – careless in actions or work.
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Shameless – acting without embarrassment.
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Sarcastic – mocking through speech or actions.
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Sabotaging – deliberately causing harm or failure.
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Squabbling – arguing over trivial matters.
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Shoving – pushing rudely.
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Shouting – yelling aggressively.
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Stealing – taking without permission.
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Stalling – deliberately delaying.
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Stomping – walking angrily.
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Slouching – sitting or standing carelessly.
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Spreading (rumors) – passing harmful gossip.
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Scolding – reprimanding harshly.
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Stabbing (in the back) – betraying someone.
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Straying – wandering irresponsibly.
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Shrugging off – dismissing something important.
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Screaming – yelling uncontrollably.
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Spurning – rejecting with contempt.
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Shirking – avoiding responsibilities.
Negative Words for Emotions and Feelings
These describe difficult internal states, often connected with sadness, fear, or frustration.
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Sad – unhappy or downcast.
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Stressed – overwhelmed with pressure.
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Sorrowful – deeply unhappy.
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Scared – filled with fear.
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Shaken – emotionally unsettled.
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Shy (negative sense) – excessively withdrawn.
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Sensitive (overly) – reacting too strongly.
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Spooked – startled or alarmed.
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Stifled – feeling held back.
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Suffocated – feeling trapped.
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Strained – tense or uneasy.
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Sickened – feeling disgusted.
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Shocked – disturbed or alarmed.
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Sorry – weighed down by regret.
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Stale – lacking freshness in feeling.
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Surly – bad-tempered.
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Seething – boiling with anger.
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Subdued – quieted or depressed.
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Spent – completely exhausted.
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Somber – gloomy or serious in mood.
Negative Words for Situations or Conditions
Situations can feel oppressive, unstable, or overwhelming, and these words describe such contexts.
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Stagnant – not progressing.
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Severe – very harsh.
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Suffocating – oppressive or stifling.
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Scandalous – morally shocking.
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Stormy – filled with conflict.
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Shaky – unstable.
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Strenuous – overly demanding.
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Stressful – causing anxiety.
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Shambolic – chaotic and disorganized.
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Slippery – difficult to manage or unsafe.
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Stricken – badly affected by trouble.
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Subpar – below acceptable quality.
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Scarce – insufficient or lacking.
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Shoddy – poorly made.
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Spite-ridden – dominated by malice.
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Smothering – overwhelming.
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Serious – grave or concerning.
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Shorthanded – lacking enough people.
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Substandard – below normal quality.
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Sporadic – occurring irregularly.
Negative Words for Communication Style
How people speak affects relationships, and these words describe harmful or unkind ways of interacting.
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Snappy – speaking abruptly.
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Slanderous – spreading false, damaging claims.
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Snide – subtly mocking.
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Sneering – showing contempt.
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Stammering – faltering speech (perceived negatively).
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Silent (cold) – refusing to speak.
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Stiff – overly formal and unfriendly.
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Shabby (speech) – unrefined or rude.
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Scathing – extremely harsh criticism.
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Smug – arrogant in tone.
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Stilted – awkward or unnatural.
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Supercilious – condescending.
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Scoffing – mocking with ridicule.
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Snarky – sharply critical or sarcastic.
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Sardonic – grimly mocking.
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Slurred – poorly articulated speech.
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Spite-laced – filled with malice.
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Shrieking – speaking in a piercing way.
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Standoffish – cold and unfriendly in manner.
Negative Words for Physical Descriptions or States
These words paint an unflattering or unpleasant picture of someone’s physical state or surroundings.
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Shabby – in poor condition.
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Scrawny – overly thin.
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Smelly – emitting a bad odor.
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Soiled – dirty or stained.
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Shrunken – reduced in size or vitality.
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Sickly – unhealthy-looking.
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Stained – marked or discolored.
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Scarred – bearing marks of injury.
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Sunken – hollow or depressed.
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Swollen – abnormally enlarged.
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Sore – painful or irritated.
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Sagging – drooping from weakness.
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Scuffed – scraped or worn down.
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Spotted – blemished or stained.
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Stinking – strongly unpleasant-smelling.
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Shattered – broken or exhausted.
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Slumped – bent or collapsed posture.
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Shivering – trembling from cold or fear.
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Shrill (voice) – high-pitched and unpleasant.
