Words Ending With SE
100 wordsWords ending in SE form one of English's most versatile patterns, spanning quick verbs like FUSE and MUSE to scientific behemoths like CYCLOOXYGENASE. This collection offers everything from everyday vocabulary to specialized terminology that can transform your word game scores.
3-letter words
14-letter words
155-letter words
316-letter words
157-letter words
188-letter words
149-letter words
510-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The SE ending appears across wildly different word types, from simple actions to complex biochemistry—making it a pattern worth mastering for any word game enthusiast.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The SE ending serves double duty in English. It marks verbs of action and transformation (FUSE, LYSE) while also forming nouns through French and Latin imports. Scientific terminology heavily favors this ending, particularly for enzymes (ZYMASE, CYCLOOXYGENASE), where the -ASE suffix specifically denotes catalytic proteins.
Total Words
1,742
0.6% of dictionary
Avg Length
8.8 letters
2.8 syllables
Top Scrabble
QUELQUECHOSE
35 points
Longest Word
ANTICHOLINESTERASE
18 letters
Parts of Speech
Verbs dominate this pattern at 54%, which makes sense given how many action words end in SE. The average length of 8.8 letters reflects the strong presence of scientific and technical vocabulary, pulling well above typical dictionary averages.
Middle English leads the etymological charge here, with French influences following close behind through both Old and Middle French pathways. The journey of CHAISE from French through Middle French to Old French chaiere shows how the SE ending often marks French adoptions. BOURSE traces an even longer path through Late Latin bursa, demonstrating how many SE words entered English via French intermediaries.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
a complex of enzymes that cause glycolysis; originally found in yeast but also present in higher organisms
Long (8+)
either of two related enzymes that control the production of prostaglandins and are blocked by aspirin
a coenzyme important in respiration in the Krebs cycle
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
a complex of enzymes that cause glycolysis; originally found in yeast but also present in higher organisms
the extent of a 2-dimensional surface enclosed within a boundary
Long (8+)
in a direction opposite to the direction in which the hands of a clock move
either of two related enzymes that control the production of prostaglandins and are blocked by aspirin
ZYMASE tops both Scrabble and WWF at 20 points, making it the premium play regardless of platform. The real strategic difference emerges with longer words—COUNTERCLOCKWISE scores 35 in WWF versus its Scrabble value, thanks to WWF's higher letter multipliers on common letters. For accessible high-scorers, ZYGOSE delivers 19 points in both games without requiring a board-specific strategy.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
THOSE and CAUSE make excellent SE-ending starters, each covering two vowels while testing common consonants. WORSE adds the valuable W and R if you've already confirmed the SE ending.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
Shortest
The jump from three-letter USE to eighteen-letter ANTICHOLINESTERASE reflects how SE words span from basic Anglo-Saxon verbs to modern scientific coinages. Enzyme nomenclature accounts for most of the extreme lengths.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
a workplace where baked goods (breads and cakes and pastries) are produced or sold
supply with capital, as of a business by using a combination of capital used by investors and debt capital provided by lenders
engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking
BELLICOSE means having a ready disposition to fight—essentially describing someone spoiling for conflict. Beyond its satisfying meaning, it's a legitimate nine-letter play worth remembering when you're stuck with a B and multiple vowels. The word comes from Latin bellum (war), the same root that gives us antebellum and rebellion.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.