6-letter words with N as the 2nd letter and V as the 3rd letter

The fixed NV pairing leaves 17 tournament-dictionary words, and just 6 qualify as common by frequency. Most begin with I or E, while the strongest Scrabble score belongs to the strikingly less familiar UNVEXT. The final letters also cluster: S, T, and E lead the group.

At a glance: the N-V pattern

• 17 six-letter words match the pattern, with N in position two and V in position three.
• Only 6 matches count as common by the frequency measure.
• INVEST, INVITE, INVADE, INVENT, and INVOKE are recognizable examples.
• I begins 7 matches; E begins 6, so those openings dominate.
• S is the most frequent final letter, appearing on 5 words.

How do 6-letter words with N second and V third vary?

The opening letter sharply narrows your choices: 7 words begin with I and 6 with E. U supplies 3 more, while A appears just once. That makes IN- and EN- the practical places to start when you are testing this pattern.

The endings are less concentrated: 5 words finish in S, 4 in T, and 3 in E, with the remaining 5 split among L, D, O, and R. ENVOYS shows the S ending, while INVEST and INVITE close in T and E. Only 6 entries meet the common-word cutoff, so the list is not everyday vocabulary.

Which matching words score highest in Scrabble?

UNVEXT leads at 16 points, ahead of INVOKE at 13 and ENVOYS at 12. INVADE and ENVIED each score 10, while familiar choices such as INVEST, INVITE, INVENT, and UNVEIL score 9 apiece.

The point leader is a good reminder to separate pattern-finding from word knowledge: UNVEXT is far less familiar than INVEST or INVITE. Dictionary coverage also varies. Collins includes 17 matches, NWL2023 includes 16, and ENABLE includes 15, so check your game's word list before playing an unfamiliar entry.

For more letter swaps, compare the O-starting version or keep N fixed and change the third letter. The 7-letter N-V pattern is another nearby search, but it is a different-length clue.