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error

/ˈɛɹəɹ/
nounverb

ERROR is a Wordle answer that scores only 5 points in Scrabble, with three Rs among its five tiles and no anagrams or neighbours.

NWL Collins ENABLE Wordle answer list

Noun 4 meanings

  1. The state, quality, or condition of being wrong.

  2. A mistake; an accidental wrong action or a false statement not made deliberately.

    “There was a large error in the accounts.”

  3. Sin; transgression.

    “I've finally seen the error of my ways.”

  4. A failure to complete a task, usually involving a premature termination.

Verb 2 meanings

  1. To function improperly due to an error, especially accompanied by error message.

    “The web-page took a long time to load and errored out.”

  2. To show or contain an error or fault.

    “The block transmission errored near the start and could not be received.”

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English errour, from Anglo-Norman errour, borrowed from Old French error, from Latin error (“wandering about”, noun), derived from the verb errō (“to wander, to err”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹 (airzei, “error”), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (airzjan, “to lead astray”). More at err.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
wrengthwrongwrongnesswrongfulnessblunderflubgaffestumble

ERROR is a mistake, a false statement, or the state of being wrong. As a Wordle word it is risky: three of its five letters are the same R, so one guess teaches you about only three distinct letters. Rank 2,672 makes it known but not constant.

ERROR at a glance

  • Five letters: E, R, R, O, R, so three distinct letters in all.
  • Every tile is worth 1, giving a base score of 5.
  • No anagrams exist, and no word sits one letter away.
  • Rank 2,672 in frequency, count 7,563.

Should ERROR be your Wordle opener?

No. It tests only E, R and O, and the two extra Rs add no information. After one guess you have used a whole row on three letters.

A better opener spreads five different letters across the board.

As an answer, though, it is fair game: ERROR is both an allowed guess and a possible solution. If you hold a green E at the start and a green R at the end, a repeated R in the middle is the natural next test.

What does ERROR mean?

The core sense is the state or condition of being wrong, and by extension a mistake or a false statement made by accident. An older sense is sin or transgression.

Only 298 five-letter words begin with E, about 2 percent of 12,789, while 667 end in R, about 5 percent. A pattern search that starts with E returns a short list.

How does ERROR play in Scrabble?

All five tiles are worth 1, so the word totals 5 and the board squares decide everything. Rhymes by spelling include MIRROR, HORROR, TERROR, EMPEROR and CONQUEROR, but check your game’s word list before using any of them in a themed puzzle.

Rhymes with error

All rhymes

Questions people ask

Is error a valid Wordle word?
Yes. ERROR is on the Wordle answer list and is an allowed guess. It has three Rs, so a green R in the right place is a strong clue, but it eliminates few other letters.
How many points is error worth in Scrabble?
ERROR scores 5 points on tiles, since E, R, R, O and R are all worth 1 each. Its value depends entirely on premium squares.
Does error have any anagrams?
No. ERROR has zero anagrams and zero one-letter neighbours, so nothing else shares its letters and nothing differs by a single tile. That is unusual for a five-letter word and leaves you no side-door when a Wordle row goes wrong.

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