7-letter words with S as the 1st letter and V as the 5th letter

The pattern puts S at the start and V in the middle, but the endings vary: 20 words finish in S, while 15 finish in D. Only five entries rank among the most common English words, so familiar picks such as SHELVES and SLEEVES stand out from rarer options. The average score is 11.9 points.

The pattern at a glance

• There are 55 matches with S first and V fifth.
• S is the most frequent ending, with 20 words; D follows with 15.
• SHIVVED and SONOVOX lead the scoring list at 17 points each.
• The list has 52 Collins entries, 42 in NWL2023, and 36 in ENABLE.

Which 7-letter words have S first and V fifth?

SHELVES, SLEEVES, STARVED, and SCARVES are recognizable choices that fit the letter positions exactly. STRIVES and SWERVED also match, while SHRIVEL gives you a different final letter and a less familiar option.

The ending distribution narrows the search quickly: 20 words end in S and 15 end in D, but only 11 end in R. Five finish in L, two in N, and one each in A or X. If your crossing letters rule out S and D, check those smaller groups next.

Which matches score well, and where does the list fall short?

SHIVVED and SONOVOX each score 17 points, ahead of SHELVED, SWERVED, and SHRIVED at 14. SHELVES scores 13. SONOVOX is the standout score, though SHELVES is the more familiar play when its letters fit.

Just five matches count as common, and coverage differs across Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE. Check your game's word list before using a rare entry. For another fixed fifth-letter pattern, the S-first, T-fifth group has 317 matches, compared with 55 here.