Words Ending With LESS
100 wordsThe suffix -LESS transforms any noun into its absence. These words describe what's missing—joy, jobs, jaws—and they dominate as adjectives in English. Browse this collection to find versatile words that pack descriptive punch in both conversation and word games.
4-letter words
15-letter words
16-letter words
17-letter words
138-letter words
349-letter words
2810-letter words
1611-letter words
512-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
Adding -LESS to almost any noun creates a valid word, making this one of English's most productive suffixes for game players.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The -LESS suffix comes from Old English 'leas' meaning 'devoid of' and attaches to nouns with remarkable freedom. This productivity explains why you can form words like COMPLEXIONLESS or EXPERIENCELESS—if something exists, you can describe its absence. The suffix almost always creates adjectives, which is why you'll rarely find -LESS words that function as verbs or nouns.
Total Words
896
0.3% of dictionary
Avg Length
9.0 letters
2.4 syllables
Top Scrabble
COMPLEXIONLESS
27 points
Longest Word
SUPPOSITIONLESS
15 letters
Parts of Speech
A striking 95% of -LESS words are adjectives, which makes sense given the suffix's function of describing absence. The average length of 9.0 letters reflects how -LESS typically attaches to existing nouns, building compound descriptors rather than standing alone.
Middle English dominates the origins of -LESS words, with Old English providing the foundational layer. The word BLESS shows an interesting chain: from Proto-West Germanic 'blōdisōn' through Old English 'bletsian' to Middle English 'blessen'—though BLESS itself isn't a -LESS word, it shares the spelling pattern. This suffix remained remarkably stable as English evolved, rarely borrowing from Latin or French.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
Medium (5-7)
of animals having no jaw
not experiencing or inspiring joy
not having a job
Long (8+)
impossible to quench
deliberately impassive in manner
Short (2-4)
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
Medium (5-7)
of animals having no jaw
not having a job
Long (8+)
JAWLESS scores 17 points in Scrabble but jumps to 20 in Words With Friends thanks to the J being worth 10 points instead of 8. JOBLESS shows the same pattern, making J-words particularly valuable in WWF. For longer plays, COMPLEXIONLESS tops both games—27 in Scrabble and 33 in WWF—where the X and premium tile multipliers can create massive scores.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Common Words (likely answers)
render holy by means of religious rites
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
The shortest -LESS word is LESS itself at 4 letters, while compounds stretch to 15 letters with SUPPOSITIONLESS. Most -LESS words cluster around 9 letters because the suffix needs a substantial noun to attach to.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
lacking hair on the face
unproductive of success
causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
"something cheerless about the room"
lacking a dowry
BOOTLESS means 'unproductive of success'—a poetic way to describe futile efforts. Shakespeare used it often, and it remains valid in modern word games. At 8 letters, it offers decent scoring potential while sounding like it shouldn't be a real word to most opponents.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.