diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/hooks/example_module.py b/numpydoc/tests/hooks/example_module.py
index 87e9b52d..9f75bdf0 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/hooks/example_module.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/hooks/example_module.py
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ def do_something(self, *args, **kwargs):
         *args
         """
 
-    def process(self):
-        """Process stuff."""
+    def create(self):
+        """Creates stuff."""
 
 
 class NewClass:
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/hooks/test_validate_hook.py b/numpydoc/tests/hooks/test_validate_hook.py
index 25851db5..47f315c2 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/hooks/test_validate_hook.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/hooks/test_validate_hook.py
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ def test_validate_hook_with_toml_config(example_module, tmp_path, capsys):
                 ]
                 exclude = '\\.__init__$'
                 override_SS05 = [
-                    '^Process',
-                    '^Assess',
-                    '^Access',
+                    '^Creates',
                 ]
                 """
             )
@@ -154,7 +152,7 @@ def test_validate_hook_with_setup_cfg(example_module, tmp_path, capsys):
                 [tool:numpydoc_validation]
                 checks = all,EX01,SA01,ES01
                 exclude = \\.__init__$
-                override_SS05 = ^Process,^Assess,^Access
+                override_SS05 = ^Creates
                 """
             )
         )
@@ -198,9 +196,7 @@ def test_validate_hook_exclude_option_pyproject(example_module, tmp_path, capsys
                     '\.__init__$',
                 ]
                 override_SS05 = [
-                    '^Process',
-                    '^Assess',
-                    '^Access',
+                    '^Creates',
                 ]
                 """
             )
@@ -232,7 +228,7 @@ def test_validate_hook_exclude_option_setup_cfg(example_module, tmp_path, capsys
                 [tool:numpydoc_validation]
                 checks = all,EX01,SA01,ES01
                 exclude = \\.NewClass$,\\.__init__$
-                override_SS05 = ^Process,^Assess,^Access
+                override_SS05 = ^Creates
                 """
             )
         )
diff --git a/numpydoc/validate.py b/numpydoc/validate.py
index db605949..d0debfa2 100644
--- a/numpydoc/validate.py
+++ b/numpydoc/validate.py
@@ -710,7 +710,13 @@ def validate(obj_name, validator_cls=None, **validator_kwargs):
             errs.append(error("SS03"))
         if doc.summary != doc.summary.lstrip():
             errs.append(error("SS04"))
-        elif doc.is_function_or_method and doc.summary.split(" ")[0][-1] == "s":
+        # Heuristic to check for infinitive verbs - shouldn't end in "s"
+        elif (
+            doc.is_function_or_method
+            and len(doc.summary.split(" ")[0]) > 1
+            and doc.summary.split(" ")[0][-1] == "s"
+            and doc.summary.split(" ")[0][-2] != "s"
+        ):
             errs.append(error("SS05"))
         if doc.num_summary_lines > 1:
             errs.append(error("SS06"))