7-letter words with M as the 2nd letter and P as the 3rd letter

The MP pair at positions 2 and 3 sits inside familiar prefixes: IMP-, EMP- and AMP-. With 22 common words, this is one of the friendlier pattern lists for everyday solving, and the front three letters often give the answer away.

Key numbers for the _MP frame

• 117 words fit, and 22 of them are common English.
• I opens 64 words, E opens 39, A opens 9 and U opens 4.
• S ends 40 words, E ends 21, D ends 14 and R ends 12.
• EMPRIZE scores 20; EMPATHY and AMPLIFY score 17.
• 91 have a definition, and the average score is 12.1.

How far does IMP- take you?

Further than half the list: 64 of 117 words open with I. The everyday set is IMPROVE, IMPOSED, IMPACTS, implies, impress and imports, all built on one stem and easy to spot in a grid.

The EMP- stems add EMPEROR, EMPLOYS, empathy and empower. AMP- and UMP- bring the stragglers, such as amplify and umpires, which add 13 more words between them.

Which endings should you try first?

S leads with 40, usually plural, as in imports, impacts, employs and umpires. E follows at 21 for IMPULSE and IMPASSE.

D takes 14 for the past tense, as in implied and emptied, and R takes 12, as in emperor. A, T and Y are smaller, at 6, 6 and 5, so only a clue that points to one of them is worth the detour.

Is there a high-scoring play here?

EMPRIZE reaches 20 thanks to its Z, but empathy and amplify at 17 are likelier to be words you recognise. IMPEACH, EMPYEMA and EMPEACH follow at 16. EMPATHY is the best choice if you want a familiar word.

A Collins note: 114 of the 117 are in Collins, 96 in NWL2023 and 92 in ENABLE. Check your game's word list before using EMPEACH.