7-letter words with N as the 1st letter and H as the 5th letter

Every match has N in position one and H in position five, leaving five other tiles to identify. The 32-word pool is shared unevenly across tournament lists: Collins includes 30, NWL2023 has 24, and ENABLE has 23. NEITHER, NAUGHTY, NOTCHED, and NARWHAL are recognizable entries; many of the other options are less familiar.

How many words fit N _ _ _ H _ _?

• 32 entries match the fixed pattern across at least one tournament dictionary.
• Just 2 matches fall within the common-word frequency group.
• S is the most frequent final letter, with 7 words; D follows with 5.
• NARTHEX scores 17 points, while NUNCHUK scores 16.

Which words make the pattern easier to spot?

The matching words span familiar spellings and specialized vocabulary. NEITHER is an everyday option, and NAUGHTY is another recognizable entry. NOTCHED and NOTCHES share a stem, giving you two concrete ways to test the fixed fifth letter.

With N, O, T, and H in place, NOTCHED and NOTCHES differ only at the end: one finishes with D, the other with S. NARWHAL offers a different route, with its distinctive animal name placing R, W, and A between the fixed letters.

The final-letter split gives a practical check: 7 matches end in S and 5 end in D. NOTCHES and NOTCHED illustrate both groups, while NAUGHTY shows that a Y ending is also possible.

Changing just the fifth letter from H to I expands the same N-first pattern from 32 matches to 171. Keeping H fifth but switching the first letter to S gives 126 matches, so the N/H combination is comparatively narrow.

What do these words score?

The group averages 14.1 points. NARTHEX reaches 17, and NUNCHUK scores 16, making them the strongest familiar scoring examples here. Those values give you a quick comparison when choosing between a recognizable play and a less familiar entry.

A limitation: dictionary coverage differs, and many matches are uncommon in everyday writing. Check your game's word list before playing an unfamiliar word; the Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE totals do not match.