5-letter words starting with W
W opens 402 words, including 83 Wordle answers and 103 common entries; which, would and world are familiar starting points.
103 of 409 are everyday words (25%). A mix of familiar words and game-only finds.
S starts the most 5-letter words (1,547); X starts the fewest (15). W ranks #14 of 26. The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.
Common words
- WHICH16
- WOULD9
- WHERE11
- WORLD9
- WHILE11
- WOMEN10
- WATER8
- WHITE11
- WHOLE11
- WRONG9
- WOMAN10
- WATCH13
- WORKS12
- WORDS9
- WANTS8
- WEEKS12
- WORTH11
- WHOSE11
- WANNA8
- WROTE8
- WRITE8
- WORST8
- WORSE8
- WORRY11
- WASTE8
- WEIRD9
- WALLS8
- WALES8
- WHEEL11
- WOODS9
- WINGS9
- WAVES11
- WALKS12
- WAGES9
- WELLS8
- WIDER9
- WOUND9
- WINDS9
- WELSH11
- WITCH13
- WEARS8
- WIDOW12
- WIVES11
- WIDTH12
- WHEAT11
- WRIST8
- WEIGH12
- WHALE11
All valid words 409
- WAACS10
- WACKE14
- WACKO14
- WACKS14
- WACKY17
- WADDS10
- WADDY13
- WADED10
- WADER9
- WADES9
- WADIS9
- WADTS9
- WAFER11
- WAFFS14
- WAFTS11
- WAGED10
- WAGER9
- WAGES9
- WAGGA10
- WAGON9
- WAGYU12
- WAHOO11
- WAIDE9
- WAIFS11
- WAIFT11
- WAILS8
- WAINS8
- WAIRS8
- WAIST8
- WAITE8
- WAITS8
- WAIVE11
- WAKAS12
- WAKED13
- WAKEN12
- WAKER12
- WAKES12
- WAKFS15
- WALDO9
- WALDS9
- WALED9
- WALER8
- WALES8
- WALIE8
- WALIS8
- WALKS12
- WALLA8
- WALLS8
- WALLY11
- WALTY11
- WALTZ17
- WAMED11
- WAMES10
- WAMUS10
- WANDS9
- WANED9
- WANES8
- WANEY11
- WANGS9
- WANKS12
- WANKY15
- WANLE8
- WANLY11
- WANNA8
- WANTS8
- WANTY11
- WANZE17
- WAQFS20
- WARBS10
- WARBY13
- WARDS9
- WARED9
- WARES8
- WAREZ17
- WARKS12
- WARMS10
- WARNS8
- WARPS10
- WARRE8
- WARST8
- WARTS8
- WARTY11
- WASES8
- WASHY14
- WASMS10
- WASPS10
- WASPY13
- WASTE8
- WASTS8
- WATAP10
- WATCH13
- WATER8
- WATTS8
- WAUFF14
- WAUGH12
- WAUKS12
- WAULK12
- WAULS8
- WAURS8
- WAVED12
- WAVER11
- WAVES11
- WAVEY14
- WAWAS11
- WAWES11
- WAWLS11
- WAXED16
- WAXEN15
- WAXER15
- WAXES15
- WAYED12
- WAZIR17
- WAZOO17
- WEALD9
- WEALS8
- WEAMB12
- WEANS8
- WEARS8
- WEARY11
- WEAVE11
- WEBBY15
- WEBER10
- WECHT13
- WEDEL9
- WEDGE10
- WEDGY13
- WEEDS9
- WEEDY12
- WEEKE12
- WEEKS12
- WEELS8
- WEEMS10
- WEENS8
- WEENY11
- WEEPS10
- WEEPY13
- WEEST8
- WEETE8
- WEETS8
- WEFTE11
- WEFTS11
- WEIDS9
- WEIGH12
- WEILS8
- WEIRD9
- WEIRS8
- WEISE8
- WEIZE17
- WEKAS12
- WELCH13
- WELDS9
- WELKE12
- WELKS12
- WELKT12
- WELLS8
- WELLY11
- WELSH11
- WELTS8
- WEMBS12
- WENCH13
- WENDS9
- WENGE9
- WENNY11
- WENTS8
- WEROS8
- WERSH11
- WESTS8
- WETAS8
- WETLY11
- WEXED16
- WEXES15
- WHACK17
- WHALE11
- WHAMO13
- WHAMS13
- WHANG12
- WHAPS13
- WHARE11
- WHARF14
- WHATA11
- WHATS11
- WHAUP13
- WHAUR11
- WHEAL11
- WHEAR11
- WHEAT11
- WHEEL11
- WHEEN11
- WHEEP13
- WHEFT14
- WHELK15
- WHELM13
- WHELP13
- WHENS11
- WHERE11
- WHETS11
- WHEWS14
- WHEYS14
- WHICH16
- WHIDS12
- WHIFF17
- WHIFT14
- WHIGS12
- WHILE11
- WHILK15
- WHIMS13
- WHINE11
- WHINS11
- WHINY14
- WHIPS13
- WHIPT13
- WHIRL11
- WHIRR11
- WHIRS11
- WHISH14
- WHISK15
- WHISS11
- WHIST11
- WHITE11
- WHITS11
- WHITY14
- WHIZZ29
- WHOLE11
- WHOMP15
- WHOOF14
- WHOOP13
- WHOOT11
- WHOPS13
- WHORE11
- WHORL11
- WHORT11
- WHOSE11
- WHOSO11
- WHUMP15
- WHUPS13
- WHYDA15
- WICCA12
- WICKS14
- WICKY17
- WIDDY13
- WIDEN9
- WIDER9
- WIDES9
- WIDOW12
- WIDTH12
- WIELD9
- WIELS8
- WIFED12
- WIFES11
- WIFEY14
- WIFIE11
- WIFTY14
- WIGAN9
- WIGGA10
- WIGGY13
- WIGHT12
- WIKIS12
- WILCO10
- WILDS9
- WILED9
- WILES8
- WILGA9
- WILIS8
- WILJA15
- WILLS8
- WILLY11
- WILTS8
- WIMPS12
- WIMPY15
- WINCE10
- WINCH13
- WINDS9
- WINDY12
- WINED9
- WINES8
- WINEY11
- WINGE9
- WINGS9
- WINGY12
- WINKS12
- WINNA8
- WINNS8
- WINOS8
- WINZE17
- WIPED11
- WIPER10
- WIPES10
- WIRED9
- WIRER8
- WIRES8
- WIRRA8
- WISED9
- WISER8
- WISES8
- WISHA11
- WISHT11
- WISPS10
- WISPY13
- WISTS8
- WITAN8
- WITCH13
- WITED9
- WITES8
- WITHE11
- WITHS11
- WITHY14
- WITTY11
- WIVED12
- WIVER11
- WIVES11
- WIZEN17
- WIZES17
- WOADS9
- WOALD9
- WOCKS14
- WODGE10
- WOFUL11
- WOKEN12
- WOKER12
- WOKKA16
- WOLDS9
- WOLFS11
- WOLLY11
- WOLVE11
- WOMAN10
- WOMBS12
- WOMBY15
- WOMEN10
- WOMYN13
- WONGA9
- WONGI9
- WONKS12
- WONKY15
- WONTS8
- WOODS9
- WOODY12
- WOOED9
- WOOER8
- WOOFS11
- WOOFY14
- WOOLD9
- WOOLS8
- WOOLY11
- WOONS8
- WOOPS10
- WOOPY13
- WOOSE8
- WOOSH11
- WOOTZ17
- WOOZY20
- WORDS9
- WORDY12
- WORKS12
- WORLD9
- WORMS10
- WORMY13
- WORRY11
- WORSE8
- WORST8
- WORTH11
- WORTS8
- WOULD9
- WOUND9
- WOVEN11
- WOWED12
- WOWEE11
- WOXEN15
- WRACK14
- WRANG9
- WRAPS10
- WRAPT10
- WRAST8
- WRATE8
- WRATH11
- WRAWL11
- WREAK12
- WRECK14
- WRENS8
- WREST8
- WRICK14
- WRIED9
- WRIER8
- WRIES8
- WRING9
- WRIST8
- WRITE8
- WRITS8
- WROKE12
- WRONG9
- WROOT8
- WROTE8
- WROTH11
- WRUNG9
- WRYER11
- WRYLY14
- WUDDY13
- WUDUS9
- WULLS8
- WURST8
- WUSES8
- WUSHU11
- WUSSY11
- WUXIA15
- WYLED12
- WYLES11
- WYNDS12
- WYNNS11
- WYTED12
- WYTES11
Highest-scoring words
| Word | Scrabble | Words With Friends | Dictionaries |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHIZZ | 29 | 28 | All three |
| WOOZY | 20 | 19 | All three |
| WAQFS | 20 | 20 | Collins only |
| WHACK | 17 | 17 | All three |
| WALTZ | 17 | 18 | All three |
| WACKY | 17 | 17 | All three |
| WHIFF | 17 | 16 | All three |
| WAZIR | 17 | 17 | Collins only |
| WAZOO | 17 | 17 | Collins · NWL |
| WAREZ | 17 | 17 | Collins · NWL |
| WICKY | 17 | 17 | Collins only |
| WOOTZ | 17 | 17 | Collins only |
With 402 entries, W is one of the widest lists among the late-alphabet starters. It holds 83 Wordle answers and 103 common words, from which and would to world and water, which supports both puzzle checks and word-game browsing. Whizz towers over the rest at 29 points, while the average W word is worth 11.
A broad pool of familiar W answers
The 402 entries include 83 Wordle answers and 103 common words. Which, would and world are the anchors; water and white add plain alternatives for a first guess.
That breadth lets W serve two jobs: a direct check in a puzzle and a deep reserve in Scrabble. The examples run from where and while to write and wrong, so one confirmed letter can shrink the field fast. A W at the front also pairs with almost every vowel, so the second letter rarely rules much out.
The size also means plenty of near-misses. A single wrong vowel can hide among dozens of W words, so settle the vowel before you scan the rest of the alphabet.
W endings lean toward S and Y
- Try which, while or where when the clue leaves the middle letters open.
- Test would, world and works to place the common vowels.
- Expect an S ending: 147 entries finish that way, against 51 in Y.
- Compare write and wrong once the first two letters are fixed.
- Reach for whole or woman when the vowel pattern looks dense.
Which dictionaries carry the W list
Collins holds all 402 words. NWL2023 accepts 315 and ENABLE 296, so 87 W words are Collins-only and will not fly in a North American club game.
Only 103 of the entries rank as common, so most of the list is specialist vocabulary. The big scorers below come from that deeper pool.
High scores led by whizz
Whizz scores 29 points, far above the 11 average. Woozy and waqfs each reach 20, while whack, waltz, wacky and whiff score 17.
The big totals come from Z, W and F tiles, which plain W words rarely carry. Whiff and whack are the friendliest 17-pointers, and both stay readable if the board forces a challenge.
Warez and wazoo reach 17 as well but feel far riskier. Save a heavy W word for a turn when a premium square is open.
Build a W guess from known words
Eighty-three of the 402 entries are Wordle answers. Start with which, would or world, then widen to the full list once two or three letters are confirmed.
Questions people ask
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