8-Letter Words

100 words

Eight-letter words hit a sweet spot in English—long enough to carry complex meaning, short enough to remain common in everyday use. This collection spans technical terms, compound words, and sophisticated vocabulary that rewards exploration.

Words starting with A

5

Words starting with B

8

Words starting with C

7

Words starting with D

4

Words starting with E

3

Words starting with F

5

Words starting with G

1

Words starting with H

4

Words starting with I

3

Words starting with L

3

Words starting with M

6

Words starting with N

2

Words starting with O

1

Words starting with P

16

Words starting with Q

1

Words starting with R

5

Words starting with S

14

Words starting with T

6

Words starting with U

2

Words starting with W

3

Words starting with Y

1

Pattern Guide

Insights and recommendations for these words.

Eight letters opens up serious scoring territory in word games while revealing fascinating patterns in how English constructs longer words.

Vocabulary & Language

Linguistic patterns and usage statistics

Eight-letter words often feature productive suffixes like -TION, -NESS, and -MENT attached to shorter roots. The prefix UN- combined with six-letter adjectives creates countless examples. Many compound words land exactly at eight letters, where two four-letter words merge into something new.

Total Words

17,092

5.7% of dictionary

Top Scrabble

QUIZZING

36 points

Parts of Speech

Nouns
65%
Verbs
8%
Adjectives
24%
Adverbs
3%
Other
0%

Middle English dominates this word length, reflecting centuries of everyday vocabulary building before foreign borrowings reshaped the language. Latin follows as a major contributor, particularly for scientific and formal terms. The chain from CORDWAIN traces back through Spanish, Latin, and Phoenician—showing how trade routes carried words alongside goods.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Top 8-Letter Words

QUIZZING
36 pts
JAZZIEST
33 pts
WHIZZING
33 pts
BUZZWORD

stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition

32 pts
FRIZZILY
32 pts
DIZZYING
31 pts
FUZZBALL
31 pts
MEZUZOTH
31 pts

QUIZZING leads both games, but WWF's boosted letter values create a 3-point gap (39 vs 36). ZUGZWANG—a chess term meaning a position where any move worsens your situation—appears only in WWF's top tier at 35 points. FUZZBALL and BUZZWORD both gain ground in WWF thanks to the elevated Z value. The double-Z words consistently outperform, making any rack with two Z tiles worth holding.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

ABORTIVE

failing to accomplish an intended result

"an abortive revolt"

ACENTRIC

not centered or having no center

"an acentric chromosome fragment"

ACTUATED

moved to action

"a man actuated by unworthy desired"

ACTUATOR

a mechanism that puts something into automatic action

ABORTIVE means failing to accomplish an intended result—not just medical terminology, but describing any unsuccessful attempt. It's valid in both Scrabble and WWF, scores decently with common letters, and adds precision to your vocabulary when 'failed' feels too blunt.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.