Words Containing ED
100 wordsWords containing ED form the backbone of English past tenses and past participles. This pattern appears in everything from simple three-letter words to complex medical terminology, making it essential vocabulary for both everyday communication and competitive word games.
3-letter words
24-letter words
45-letter words
176-letter words
267-letter words
288-letter words
139-letter words
510-letter words
311-letter words
2Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The ED pattern dominates English vocabulary in a way few other letter combinations can match. Understanding how to leverage these words gives you a significant edge across all word games.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The ED ending serves double duty in English—it marks both past tense verbs and participial adjectives. This explains why adjectives dominate this pattern at 76%. Words like DAZZLED and PUZZLED started as verb forms but now function primarily as descriptors. The pattern also appears in standalone words like EDDY and ZED, where ED sits at the core rather than acting as a suffix.
Total Words
10,768
3.6% of dictionary
Avg Length
9.4 letters
3.2 syllables
Top Scrabble
HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED
47 points
Longest Word
NONINSTITUTIONALIZED
20 letters
Parts of Speech
This pattern's 76% adjective composition is striking—most letter patterns skew heavily toward nouns. The average length of 9.4 letters reflects how ED typically attaches to established base words rather than forming short standalone terms.
Middle English dominates this pattern's origins, which makes sense given that the -ED suffix became standardized during this period. Latin roots appear frequently in formal and scientific terms, often arriving through French intermediaries. The etymology of OBEDIENT traces a typical path: Latin to Old French to Middle English, showing how ED words absorbed vocabulary during waves of linguistic influence.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
covering with fine light hairs
filled with bewilderment
having vision overcome temporarily by or as if by intense light
Long (8+)
having the pituitary gland removed by surgery
Medium (5-7)
filled with bewilderment
covering with fine light hairs
having vision overcome temporarily by or as if by intense light
Long (8+)
having the pituitary gland removed by surgery
The Z-heavy words in this pattern reveal interesting scoring gaps between games. PUZZLED scores 31 points in Words With Friends versus 28 in Scrabble—a meaningful difference when Z carries equal weight in both games. FUZZED shows a similar spread. For shorter plays, ZED delivers 13 points in either game, making it a reliable fallback when you're stuck with that awkward Z tile.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
TRIED and TIRED share the same five letters but test different positions—useful for consecutive guesses when you've hit some yellow tiles. BASED covers three vowels and two common consonants, making it a solid opener when you want vowel information fast.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
Shortest
Medical terminology pushes this pattern to extremes. Words like HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED describe surgical procedures by stacking Greek roots with the ED suffix. These rarely appear in casual play but remain valid for those willing to memorize them.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
infected and filled with pus
"an abscessed tooth"
moved to action
"a man actuated by unworthy desired"
expressing pain or agony
lacking seriousness; given to frivolity
ACTUATED means moved to action or set in motion. It scores well in both major word games and appears far less often than common alternatives like ACTIVATED. Keep it ready when you need a high-value play with common tiles.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.
More "ED" Pages
Browse words by longer letter combinations starting with "ED".