5-letter words with H as the 2nd letter and V as the 4th letter

The pattern is _H_V_, and it produces a compact set split evenly between C and S starters. Familiar choices such as SHAVE, SHOVE, and CHIVE sit alongside less common forms like CHAVS and CHIVS. Four entries count as common English words; the rest are more likely to matter when you are checking a game dictionary or fitting a tight board pattern.

At a glance: the H–V pattern

• Collins includes all 12 matches; ENABLE and NWL2023 each include 8.
• The first letters split evenly: 6 words start with C and 6 with S.
• Five words end in E, the most frequent final letter in this set.
• Four entries are among the 25,000 most common English words.
• The average score is 12.5 points, and 2 entries match Wordle’s answer list.

Which 5-letter words have H second and V fourth?

The 12 matches include SHAVE, SHOVE, CHIVE, CHEVY, and SHIVA. Six begin with C and six with S, so choosing between those two starting letters does not narrow the set. CHEVY and CHIVY are the top scorers, while CHAVS, SHIVE, SHIVS, CHAVE, and CHIVS are less familiar options.

Five words end in E, while S closes 3; A and Y each finish 2. E is the likeliest ending here, but it appears in fewer than half the matches. When the first and last letters are known, use those endings to check candidates against the fixed _H_V_ pattern.

How can you use these H-and-V words in a game?

CHEVY and CHIVY score 16 points apiece, the highest values in this group. CHIVE, CHAVS, CHAVE, and CHIVS each score 13; SHAVE and SHOVE score 11. If you are choosing a play for points, compare the letter placement on your board too: a premium square can change the value of a word.

Only 2 of these matches are Wordle answers, so a valid pattern match is not automatically a likely solution. The list is also not made up entirely of everyday words: 4 entries meet the common-word cutoff, and 11 have definitions. Check your game’s word list before relying on an obscure form, especially when tournament dictionaries differ.