7-letter words with D as the 3rd letter and L as the 7th letter

The fixed pattern is _ _ D _ _ _ L, so every match has D in its third slot and ends in L. The set ranges from everyday words such as MEDICAL and RADICAL to less familiar entries like INDOXYL and BODEFUL. Collins lists all 33; ENABLE and NWL2023 each include 27, so check your game's word list before relying on a less familiar option.

At a glance: the D-and-L pattern

• There are 33 tournament-dictionary words matching _ _ D _ _ _ L.
• MEDICAL, FEDERAL, and RADICAL are the three entries counted as common.
• INDOXYL leads the Scrabble scores here with 18 points.
• The average score across the set is 10.8 points.
• The most frequent first letter is R, with 6 matching words.

Which familiar words fit the pattern?

MEDICAL, FEDERAL, and RADICAL are the three common words in this group. They make the pattern easier to spot: each has D third and L last, despite having different beginnings and meanings.

Most matches are less familiar. The set also includes ODDBALL, ORDINAL, BEDEVIL, BEDROLL, and REDPOLL. A useful check is to count from the left before rejecting a candidate: the D must occupy slot three, not merely appear somewhere inside the word.

Which matches score well, and how rare is this pattern?

INDOXYL scores 18 points in Scrabble, ahead of INDEXAL at 15. BEDEVIL, BODEFUL, WADMAAL, and WADMOLL each score 13, while MEDICAL scores 12. The less familiar high scorers are worth checking against your game's dictionary before you build a play around them.

This combination is relatively narrow: the same D-third, L-last pattern has 105 seven-letter matches when R replaces D in the third slot. For 7-letter words with D as the 3rd letter and L as the 7th letter, start by testing the familiar MEDICAL or FEDERAL, then consider rarer choices only if your rack supports them.