7-letter words with N as the 3rd letter and V as the 6th letter

The fixed pattern is __N__V_: N sits in position three and V in position six. The matches range from familiar CONCAVE and PENSIVE to less familiar TANTIVY and CONVIVE. Their edges are strikingly concentrated: four begin with C, while seven end in E.

The pattern at a glance

• Exactly 10 tournament-dictionary words match the seven-letter pattern __N__V_.
• CONVIVE is the top scorer at 15 points; CONCAVE follows at 14.
• Four matches begin with C, including CONCAVE, CONNIVE, CENTAVO, and CONVIVE.
• Seven of the 10 words end in E, making that the strongest finishing-letter clue.
• Collins lists 10 matches; ENABLE and NWL2023 list 9 each.

Which words fit the N-and-V pattern?

The ten matches are CONCAVE, PENSIVE, UNNERVE, GINGIVA, CONNIVE, CENTAVO, TANTIVY, CONVIVE, INNERVE, and TENSIVE. Each has N in the third position and V in the sixth; the other letters vary, so use known letters at the edges to separate candidates.

Four words start with C, but the other six start with T, G, I, P, or U. Seven end in E, while GINGIVA, CENTAVO, and TANTIVY finish with A, O, and Y. That leaves three non-E endings to test if your final tile is still unknown.

The pattern is selective: changing only the sixth letter from V to E gives 667 matches for N in the third position. Here, all 10 entries are defined, but none falls in the common-word group. Expect several unfamiliar plays rather than a list of everyday vocabulary.

Using 7-letter words with N third and V sixth

For a rack or crossword clue, lock in the two fixed letters first, then check the final position. CONCAVE, PENSIVE, and CONNIVE show how often E completes the pattern; GINGIVA and CENTAVO are useful reminders that A and O also occur.

CONVIVE scores 15 points before board bonuses, the highest score among these matches. CONCAVE scores 14, while TANTIVY scores 13. A premium square can change the result, so compare the actual placement rather than treating the word’s score as its final value.

Dictionary coverage is not identical: Collins has 10 matches, compared with 9 in both ENABLE and NWL2023. The pattern is therefore a clue, not a guarantee that every candidate is accepted in your game. Check the game’s word list before committing to an unfamiliar entry.