Words Starting With IMP
100 wordsIMP words carry the weight of Latin's 'in-' prefix, transformed through centuries of linguistic evolution. From the mischievous IMP to formal accusations via IMPEACH, this pattern reveals how one small prefix shapes hundreds of English words dealing with negation, intensity, and action directed inward.
3-letter words
15-letter words
16-letter words
87-letter words
138-letter words
169-letter words
1810-letter words
1911-letter words
1212-letter words
513-letter words
514-letter words
2Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The IMP pattern offers word game players a fascinating mix of short power plays and impressive long-form scoring opportunities.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The IMP pattern typically represents the Latin prefix 'im-' (a variant of 'in-' used before b, m, and p), meaning either 'not' or 'into/upon.' This creates two distinct word families: negations like IMPALPABLE and IMPERISHABLE, and action words like IMPEACH and IMPROVE. The prefix's flexibility explains why IMP words span so many grammatical categories and meanings.
Total Words
513
0.2% of dictionary
Avg Length
10.5 letters
4.0 syllables
Top Scrabble
IMPERSONALIZATION
30 points
Longest Word
IMPRESSIONISTICALLY
19 letters
Parts of Speech
With an average length of 10.5 letters and 4.0 syllables per word, IMP words lean decidedly formal and technical. The pattern skews heavily toward adjectives at 34%, reflecting how 'im-' commonly negates descriptive words. Nouns dominate at 46%, while verbs make up just 12% of the set.
Latin and French sources dominate this pattern, with Latin contributions flowing primarily through Middle French and Old French intermediaries. This layered borrowing reflects the Norman Conquest's impact—English absorbed Latin words twice over, first through direct church and scholarly contact, then again through French legal and administrative vocabulary. The Anglo-Norman presence signals words that entered English through medieval government and law.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
one who is playfully mischievous
Medium (5-7)
Long (8+)
the quality of not being usable
the state of being liable to impeachment
Short (2-4)
one who is playfully mischievous
Long (8+)
the quality of not being usable
The standout play here is IMPAVID (meaning fearless), scoring 15 points in Scrabble but jumping to 18 in Words With Friends. IMPEACH matches that 18-point WWF ceiling thanks to the H tile's elevated value (4 points vs 3 in Scrabble). For longer plays, IMPERSONALIZATION offers identical 30/35 point scoring in both games—if you can find the board space. The basic IMP itself provides solid 7-9 point returns for just three tiles.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
Shortest
Short IMP words are rare because the prefix itself demands completion—IMP stands alone as a noun, but most words need additional morphemes to convey meaning. This drives the pattern toward longer constructions like IMPRESSIONISTICALLY, where multiple suffixes stack onto Latin roots.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
incapable of being perceived by the senses especially the sense of touch
"an impalpable cloud"
a material's opposition to the flow of electric current; measured in ohms
pose a threat to; present a danger to
lasting a long time
"imperishable truths"
IMPEDANCE describes a material's opposition to electric current flow, measured in ohms. While technical, it's valid in both major word games and catches opponents off guard. The word demonstrates how scientific terminology often repurposes Latin roots—here combining 'impede' with the '-ance' suffix to create a measurable property.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.