7-letter words with L as the 1st letter and D as the 5th letter

The pattern is L _ _ _ D _ _, but the matching vocabulary is much narrower than that open shape suggests. Only one of the 19 matches ranks among common English words, so familiar LAUNDRY stands out beside rarities such as LAMEDHS and LOWNDED. The full set is recognized across Collins, while ENABLE and NWL2023 include smaller subsets.

The pattern at a glance

• All 19 matches begin with L and place D in the fifth position.
• LAUNDRY and LAUNDER are two recognizable examples in the group.
• LIVIDLY leads the score list at 14 points.
• Six words end in S; five end in R and five in Y.
• Only one match is classified as common English vocabulary.

Which words fit L _ _ _ D _ _?

Start with the two everyday-looking choices, LAUNDRY and LAUNDER, then check less familiar forms such as LUCIDLY, LURIDLY, and LIPIDIC. The shared D is fixed in the fifth slot; the other letters vary enough that checking the exact pattern matters.

The endings provide a quick way to narrow the candidates: six matches finish in S, while R and Y each appear at the end of five. Only two end in D, and one ends in C. That uneven split makes an ending clue especially useful when the middle letters are still unknown.

This set is small beside the sibling pattern with S first and D fifth, which has 136 matches. If your game accepts only a particular tournament dictionary, check its list: ENABLE has 12 of these words and NWL2023 has 13, compared with 19 in Collins.

Which L-and-D word scores highest?

LIVIDLY is the top scorer at 14 points, ahead of LUCIDLY and LAMEDHS at 13 each. LAMBDAS, LIPIDIC, and LOWNDED are next at 12 points. Those values make LIVIDLY the strongest recorded play in this group before any board-square bonuses.

For a more familiar word, LAUNDRY scores 11 points, as do LURIDLY, LAIRDLY, and LIVEDOS. Don't assume the recognizable option wins on points: LIVIDLY outranks LAUNDRY because its letter mix carries more value. The pattern is also a poor source of common-word guesses, with just one match counted as common.