5-letter words ending in B

B ranks 22nd of 26 final letters for five-letter words, with only Z, Q, V and J behind it. Twelve of the 58 end in -MB, and in many of them the B makes no sound at all. That quirk is the quickest way to remember the group.

Key numbers for words ending in B

• Total: 58 words. ENABLE has 35, NWL2023 has 42 and Collins has 55.
• Wordle: 11 answers, and 57 of the 58 are allowed guesses.
• Common vocabulary: only 6 words are common, led by CLIMB, THUMB, REHAB, SCRUB and SHRUB.
• Average Scrabble score: 11 points, lifted by the 3-point B.
• C opens 13 words and S opens 12.

Which five-letter B words have a silent B?

The -MB family is the biggest group with 12 words, and CLIMB, THUMB, CRUMB and PLUMB are the everyday ones. The B stays silent in all four, and the whole -MB family is about one in five of the 58 words. The next largest groups are -AB with 12 words, such as REHAB and KEBAB, and -OB with 10, such as THROB.

Silent letters are the usual reason players misspell these under pressure, so the spelling is worth rehearsing.

What are the Wordle answers that end in B?

Eleven have been answers: CLIMB, THUMB, REHAB, SCRUB, SHRUB, KEBAB, CRUMB, PLUMB, BLURB, THROB and SQUIB. Between them, C and S open 25 of the 58 words, about 43 percent. CLIMB and CRUMB sit on the C side, while SCRUB, SHRUB and SQUIB sit on the S side, so one guess that tests both letters splits the field.

KEBAB and REHAB are the two with the least obvious spelling, since the AB ending is borrowed or clipped rather than built from a common root.

Which words score the most?

ZEBUB tops the board at 18, then HIJAB at 17 and SQUIB and SQUAB at 16, and SQUIB is also a Wordle answer that leans on a 10-point Q, so it needs the U that follows to be playable. An everyday example is THUMB, at 12, built from a 4-point H and two 3-point tiles.

Collins lists 55 of the 58 and NWL2023 lists 42, so unusual entries like ZEBUB may fail in North American play. Check your game's word list before using them, and stick to THUMB, CLIMB and SCRUB when the dictionary is unknown.

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