Words Containing ES
100 wordsThe letter pair ES appears in over 11,000 English words, making it one of the most common two-letter combinations in the language. From simple plurals to complex medical terms, this pattern spans everyday vocabulary and specialized jargon alike.
3-letter words
14-letter words
115-letter words
196-letter words
207-letter words
228-letter words
109-letter words
810-letter words
411-letter words
212-letter words
113-letter words
114-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The ES combination offers surprising strategic depth across word games, with options ranging from quick two-letter plays to vocabulary-crushing long words.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
ES serves triple duty in English: as the plural suffix for words ending in certain consonants (boxes, wishes), as a verb conjugation marker (he goes, she tries), and as a core component of countless roots. The Latin root 'esse' meaning 'to be' threads through words like essence, essential, and quintessence. Many ES words also derive from the Greek suffix '-esis' indicating a process or condition, as seen in genesis, synthesis, and nemesis.
Total Words
11,300
3.8% of dictionary
Avg Length
10.2 letters
3.3 syllables
Top Scrabble
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA
35 points
Longest Word
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA
20 letters
Parts of Speech
With 74% nouns dominating the pattern, ES words lean heavily toward naming things rather than actions. The average length of 10.2 letters suggests this combination appears frequently in compound words and technical terminology rather than simple vocabulary.
Middle English dominates words containing ES, reflecting how this letter pair became embedded in the language during its formative centuries. The journey from Persian 'shah' through Old French to become the English word CHESS shows how ES words often carry surprising travel histories. Latin and Ancient Greek contribute heavily through academic and scientific vocabulary, while Old English preserves the pattern in the language's Germanic foundations.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Medium (5-7)
Long (8+)
the presence of an abnormal amount of cholesterol in the cells and plasma of the blood; associated with the risk of atherosclerosis
Both Scrabble and Words With Friends reward QUIZZES as the top medium-length scorer, but the games diverge on longer plays. QUINQUAGESIMAL scores 41 points in WWF versus 35 in Scrabble, thanks to WWF's higher Q value. For quick plays, JESS outscores ZEST in WWF (13 vs 13) despite ZEST's Z, because WWF values J at 10 points. Keep ESKY in mind for Scrabble—this Australian cooler term earns 11 points from just four letters.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
THESE makes an excellent Wordle starter, testing two vowels (E twice) plus the common consonants T, H, and S. DRESS and RULES offer alternative approaches, each checking different high-frequency letters while confirming the ES ending pattern.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
The shortest ES words are simple two-letter plays like ES itself, while the longest reach 20 letters with medical terms like HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. This extreme range reflects how ES functions both as a basic grammatical unit and as a component in scientific compound words.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
infected and filled with pus
"an abscessed tooth"
motion sickness experienced while traveling by air (especially during turbulence)
absence of the sense of pain without loss of consciousness
malaria mosquitoes; distinguished by the adult's head-downward stance and absence of breathing tubes in the larvae
ANOPHELES names the genus of mosquitoes responsible for transmitting malaria—those distinctive insects that rest with their heads pointed downward. Beyond its scientific importance, this 9-letter word scores well in word games and catches opponents off guard. It's the rare word that combines genuine educational value with strategic utility.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.