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/hɛm/
interjectionnounverb

Is HEM a Scrabble word?

Yes. HEM is a valid Scrabble word in both tournament lists, NWL2023 and Collins, and in ENABLE. It scores 8 points in Scrabble and 8 in Words With Friends.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Meaning An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.

Interjection 1 meaning

  1. Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

Noun 4 meanings

  1. An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.

  2. The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.

  3. A rim or margin of something.

  4. In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.

  2. To make a hem.

  3. To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.

  4. To shut in, enclose, confine; to surround something or someone in a confining way.

    “A small yard hemmed about by a tall hedge.”

Definitions adapted from Wiktionary: hem via Kaikki/Wiktextract, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it comes from

Etymology

A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

HEM at a glance

HEM has 3 letters and scores 8 points in Scrabble (H 4 + E 1 + M 3) and 8 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #20,763 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins (older SOWPODS edition).

Words ending in -HEM

More endings

Same last three letters as HEM. This is a spelling match, so not every word here rhymes.

  • THEM9
  • ANTHEM11
  • CHEM11
  • MAYHEM16
  • AHEM9
  • SACHEM13
  • EXANTHEM20
  • APOTHEM14
  • DIRHEM12
  • EPITHEM14
  • ERATHEM12
  • MAIHEM13

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