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

The pattern is _H_V__, and SHAVED, SHOVEL, SHOVED, and SHIVER are its clearest everyday examples. Just 3 matches rank as common by our frequency measure, so many options are specialist or less familiar vocabulary. Tournament lists differ: Collins accepts 25 matches, NWL2023 accepts 18, and ENABLE accepts 16, and those counts overlap rather than forming separate sets.

The _H_V__ pattern at a glance

• 26 matches fit the fixed _H_V__ pattern across tournament dictionaries.
• SHAVED, SHOVEL, SHOVED, and SHIVER are the easiest examples to recognize.
• ENABLE includes 16 matches, compared with 25 in Collins and 18 in NWL2023.
• Only 3 entries count as common by our frequency measure.
• CHIVVY leads the Scrabble scores at 20 points.

Which starting and ending letters narrow the choices?

SH- dominates: 16 matches start with S, while 8 start with C. Only one begins with B and one with T, so the first letter quickly narrows your search. When the opening tile is unknown, try S and C before spending time on those rare starts.

Six words finish in S; D and N each close four, while L and R each close three. SHAVES, SHOVES, CHIVED, and SHAVEN show how the fixed middle supports different final letters. Treat the ending as another filter, not an assumption.

Recognizable words and playable words are not the same thing. SHIVER and SHOVEL are familiar, but CHEVIN, CHEVET, and SHIVOO are less so. Collins has the broadest coverage among these three named lists; check your game's word list before relying on an unusual entry.

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

CHIVVY is the standout rack score at 20 points, with its two V tiles driving the total. SHIVAH and CHIVED each score 15; CHIVES and several CHEV- words reach 14. Less familiar vocabulary can outscore the recognizable SH- choices before board bonuses.

Watch for the repeated V in CHIVVY: it sits both in the required fourth position and immediately after it. That extra high-value tile is easy to miss when you scan only for the fixed pattern. The three common entries are a small slice of these 26 matches, so don't assume a familiar answer will be available.