7-letter words with R as the 1st letter and T as the 3rd letter

The fixed pattern is R _ T _ _ _ _, which narrows the search without requiring a known ending. Familiar choices include RETURNS, RETIRED, RATINGS, and RETREAT, but only 14 entries rank among the top 25,000 English words by frequency, so the complete set mixes everyday vocabulary with specialist word-game plays.

The R-T pattern at a glance

• There are 149 seven-letter entries with R first and T third.
• RETURNS, RETIRED, RATINGS, and RETREAT are recognizable examples.
• The most common final letter is S, with 62 matches ending that way.
• Fourteen entries fall within the top 25,000 English words by frequency.
• RITZILY leads the score list at 19 Scrabble points.

How many words have R as the 1st letter and T as the 3rd letter?

There are 149 matches across the tournament dictionaries counted here. Collins includes 145, NWL2023 includes 122, and ENABLE includes 115, so dictionary choice changes which plays you can make. Check your game's word list before relying on an unfamiliar entry.

Start with the repeated word families: RETAINS, RETIRES, and RETAILS share a familiar opening, while ROTATED and ROTATES differ at the ending. RETREAT and RETRACE show how the same fixed letters still allow very different word shapes. These examples are a practical first scan when you know only the two positions.

Use the ending to narrow your search

The S ending dominates this pattern: 62 matches finish with S, far ahead of E at 17 and D at 13. If your final tile is fixed, test the S-ending group first; if it is not, keep the less common endings in play rather than guessing from the opening alone.

For scoring, RITZILY reaches 19 points, while RITZIER scores 16 and RATPACK scores 15. Those are tile-score totals before board bonuses, not a promise of the best move. The common words are easier to spot, but the high-scoring options show why checking less familiar combinations can matter.

The 7-letter words with R as the 1st letter and T as the 3rd letter are a pattern list, not a guarantee that every entry fits your game's dictionary.