Words With AK in the Middle

100 words

The AK cluster cuts through English with a sharp, percussive quality that mirrors its meaning in many words—BREAK, SHAKE, QUAKE. This pattern appears in words spanning everyday vocabulary to specialized scientific terms, giving you options whether you're writing an essay or clearing a triple word score.

4-letter words

14

5-letter words

17
View all 17

6-letter words

19

7-letter words

12

8-letter words

16

9-letter words

10

10-letter words

4

11-letter words

4

12-letter words

3

13-letter words

1

Pattern Guide

Insights and recommendations for these words.

The AK combination punches above its weight in word games, especially when you can pair it with high-value consonants.

Vocabulary & Language

Linguistic patterns and usage statistics

AK frequently appears in words describing sudden, forceful action—BREAK, SHAKE, WAKE, QUAKE all share this kinetic energy. The pattern often emerges from Germanic roots, where the hard K sound emphasized physical impact or disruption. You'll also find AK in compound words built on these action roots: HEARTBREAKING, BACKBREAKING, GROUNDBREAKING.

Total Words

790

0.3% of dictionary

Avg Length

8.0 letters

2.5 syllables

Top Scrabble

JAWBREAKINGLY

33 points

Longest Word

HEARTBREAKINGLY

15 letters

Parts of Speech

Nouns
75%
Verbs
8%
Adjectives
15%
Adverbs
2%

With 75% nouns and only 8% verbs, AK words tend to name things rather than describe actions—despite the pattern's presence in dramatic verbs like BREAK and SHAKE. The average length of 8 letters reflects how often AK appears in compound words and technical terms.

Middle English dominates this pattern, with many AK words tracing through Old English to Proto-Germanic origins. STAKE traveled from Old English 'staca' through Proto-Germanic, while QUAKE followed a parallel path from 'cwacian.' Japanese contributes a notable cluster, likely through words like SAKE and terms that entered English through trade and cultural exchange.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Short (2-4)

JAKE
15 pts
KYAK
15 pts
JAK

immense East Indian fruit resembling breadfruit; it contains an edible pulp and nutritious seeds that are commonly roasted

14 pts

Medium (5-7)

ZAKUSKA
24 pts
ZAKUSKI
24 pts
QUAKILY
23 pts

Long (8+)

JAWBREAKINGLY
33 pts
MEGAKARYOCYTIC

of or pertaining to large bone marrow cells

31 pts
EARTHQUAKING
29 pts
JOHNNYCAKE

cornbread usually cooked pancake-style on a griddle (chiefly New England)

29 pts

JAK and JAKE offer quick scoring options in tight board positions, with JAK jumping from 14 to 16 points between Scrabble and WWF. The real separation comes in longer plays: JAWBREAKINGLY hits 33 points in Scrabble but climbs to 38 in WWF thanks to the boosted J value. MUNTJAK only works in WWF, where it scores 25 points—a useful exclusive to remember when you're stuck with that awkward J-U combination.

Wordle

5-letter words for daily puzzles

Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)

SPEAKStarter

exchange thoughts; talk with

BREAKStarter

(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving

TAKENStarter

understood in a certain way; made sense of

SHAKEStarter

move back and forth or sideways

Common Words (likely answers)

SPEAKCommon

exchange thoughts; talk with

BREAKCommon

(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving

TAKENCommon

understood in a certain way; made sense of

NAKEDCommon

having no protecting or concealing cover

BREAK and SHAKE make excellent Wordle openers, each testing common consonants alongside two vowels. TAKEN offers a different vowel spread while checking the frequently-used T and N.

Length Extremes

Longest and shortest valid words

Longest

HEARTBREAKINGLY15 letters
PAINSTAKINGNESS15 letters
UNSPEAKABLENESS15 letters
GROUNDBREAKING14 letters

Shortest

AKE3 letters
DAK3 letters
JAK3 letters
MAK3 letters

Short AK words like JAK exist as borrowed terms or truncated forms, while the longest entries tend to be compounds stacking familiar roots—HEARTBREAKINGLY simply extends BREAK with common affixes.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

BAKEHOUSE

a workplace where baked goods (breads and cakes and pastries) are produced or sold

BONESHAKER

any wheeled vehicle that is dilapidated and uncomfortable

"that old bike without rubber tires was a real boneshaker"

CAKEHOLE

informal terms for the mouth

CARMAKER

a business engaged in the manufacture of automobiles

BONESHAKER describes any dilapidated, uncomfortable wheeled vehicle—originally referring to early bicycles with no suspension. It's valid in both Scrabble and WWF, and beyond its game utility, it's simply a more vivid way to describe that rattling car you've been meaning to replace.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.