3-Letter Scrabble Words: The Complete List
Three-letter words are the glue of Scrabble: short enough to fit almost anywhere, long enough to score and to set up the move after. There are 1,351 of them in CSW24, the current edition of Collins Scrabble Words — and this page gives you all of them, grouped A to Z, with the high-value Q, J, Z and X words explained first.
Why three-letter words matter
Most turns in a tile game are not bingos or 40-point fireworks; they are short, precise plays that fit the board as it actually is. Three-letter words are the best tool for those turns. They slip into tight corners, they play in parallel alongside existing words so their letters score twice, and they fix lopsided racks — a word like QAT burns off a Q, U-less and legal, while AIA or EAU drains a rack clogged with vowels. They are also the natural next step from the 2-letter words: add one letter to AX, JO or QI and you are already playing three-letter words.
If you only learn part of this list, learn the high-value section below: every word built on Q, J, Z or X. Those 135 words are the ones that turn a stuck rack into points.
The high-value words: Q, J, Z and X
Every three-letter word in CSW24 that contains a Q, J, Z or X — 135 words — with points (tile values before board bonuses) and a brief meaning for each.
| Word | Points | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ADZ | 13 | a curved axe used for shaping wood |
| AJI | 10 | a hot chilli pepper |
| AXE | 10 | a chopping tool |
| AZO | 12 | a nitrogen-containing chemical group (in chemistry) |
| BEZ | 14 | the second branch of a deer’s antler |
| BIZ | 14 | business (informal) |
| BOX | 12 | a container; also to fight with gloves on |
| CAZ | 14 | casual, relaxed (Australian slang) |
| COX | 12 | a coxswain, who steers a rowing boat |
| COZ | 14 | a cousin (old word) |
| CUZ | 14 | a cousin (informal) |
| DEX | 11 | a stimulant drug (short for dexamphetamine) |
| DOX | 11 | to publish someone’s personal documents online |
| DUX | 11 | the top student of a class or school |
| DZO | 13 | a cross between a yak and a cow |
| EXO | 10 | a planet orbiting a star other than the sun |
| FAX | 13 | a document sent electronically over a phone line |
| FEZ | 15 | a brimless red felt hat |
| FIX | 13 | to repair; also a dose of a drug |
| FIZ | 15 | a variant spelling of FIZZ, an effervescent drink |
| FOX | 13 | a wild animal with a bushy tail |
| GJU | 11 | a Shetland fiddle (a kind of violin) |
| GOX | 11 | gaseous oxygen |
| HAJ | 13 | a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca |
| HEX | 13 | a magic spell; a witch |
| HOX | 13 | to hamstring; to cut the tendons of the leg |
| JAB | 12 | a quick poke or punch |
| JAG | 11 | a sharp projecting point; also a drinking spree |
| JAI | 10 | victory, glory (Hindi) |
| JAK | 14 | the jackfruit tree |
| JAM | 12 | a fruit preserve; also to squeeze into a space |
| JAP | 12 | a Japanese person (dated and offensive) |
| JAR | 10 | a glass container |
| JAW | 13 | the lower bone of the face; also to talk at length |
| JAY | 13 | a colourful bird of the crow family |
| JEE | 10 | a horse-driver’s command to turn right |
| JET | 10 | a fast aircraft; also a hard black gemstone |
| JEU | 10 | a game (French) |
| JIB | 12 | a triangular sail; also to refuse to move |
| JIG | 11 | a lively dance; also a tool-guiding device |
| JIN | 10 | a spirit in Islamic folklore (a form of JINN) |
| JIZ | 19 | a wig (Scots) |
| JOB | 12 | work; a task |
| JOE | 10 | coffee; also a fellow or chap |
| JOG | 11 | to run at a slow, steady pace |
| JOL | 10 | a good time; a party (South African slang) |
| JOR | 10 | a large earthenware jar |
| JOT | 10 | to write down quickly |
| JOW | 13 | to toll a bell; the toll of a bell |
| JOY | 13 | great delight |
| JUD | 11 | a block of coal in a seam |
| JUG | 11 | a container for liquids, with a handle |
| JUN | 10 | a North Korean coin |
| JUS | 10 | a sauce or gravy (in cooking) |
| JUT | 10 | to stick out; to project |
| KEX | 14 | a dry, hollow plant stalk, such as hemlock |
| LAX | 10 | loose; not strict |
| LEX | 10 | a system of laws; a law (Latin) |
| LOX | 10 | smoked salmon |
| LUX | 10 | a unit of illumination |
| LUZ | 12 | an indestructible bone, in Jewish tradition |
| MAX | 12 | the maximum |
| MIX | 12 | to blend things together |
| MIZ | 14 | miserable (informal) |
| MOZ | 14 | a jinx or curse (Australian slang) |
| MUX | 12 | to spoil or make a mess of something |
| NIX | 10 | nothing; also to refuse or veto |
| NOX | 10 | a unit for measuring very low levels of light |
| OXO | 10 | an acid containing oxygen (in chemistry) |
| OXY | 13 | containing oxygen (in chemistry) |
| PAX | 12 | peace (Latin); a period of peace |
| PIX | 12 | photographs or films (informal) |
| POX | 12 | a disease with pockmarks on the skin, such as chickenpox |
| POZ | 14 | HIV-positive (informal) |
| PYX | 15 | a small box for holding the consecrated bread of the Eucharist |
| QAT | 12 | a shrub whose leaves are chewed as a stimulant |
| QIN | 12 | a Chinese instrument like a zither |
| QIS | 12 | the plural of QI, the life force |
| QUA | 12 | in the capacity of; as |
| RAJ | 10 | rule or government, in India |
| RAX | 10 | to stretch (Scots) |
| REX | 10 | a king (Latin) |
| REZ | 12 | an Indigenous reservation (North American, informal) |
| RIZ | 12 | risen (a dialect form) |
| SAX | 10 | a saxophone |
| SAZ | 12 | a long-necked Turkish stringed instrument |
| SEX | 10 | the category of male or female; gender |
| SEZ | 12 | says (an eye-dialect spelling) |
| SIX | 10 | the number 6 |
| SOX | 10 | socks (an informal plural) |
| SOZ | 12 | sorry (informal) |
| SUQ | 12 | an Arab market or bazaar |
| TAJ | 10 | a tall conical cap worn in parts of Asia |
| TAX | 10 | a charge levied by a government |
| TEX | 10 | a unit for measuring the density of yarn |
| TIX | 10 | tickets (informal) |
| TIZ | 12 | a state of nervous excitement, as in "in a tiz" |
| TUX | 10 | a tuxedo; a dinner jacket |
| VAX | 13 | a vaccine or vaccination (informal) |
| VEX | 13 | to annoy or worry |
| VOX | 13 | the voice (Latin) |
| WAX | 13 | the substance bees make; also earwax |
| WAZ | 15 | urine, or to urinate (British slang) |
| WEX | 13 | to grow or increase (an old form of WAX) |
| WIZ | 15 | a wizard (short form) |
| WOX | 13 | grew (an old past tense of WAX) |
| WUZ | 15 | was (an eye-dialect spelling) |
| XED | 11 | crossed out with an X |
| XIS | 10 | the plural of XI, a Greek letter |
| YEX | 13 | to hiccup or belch (dialect) |
| YEZ | 15 | you (dialect) |
| ZAG | 13 | a sharp turn in a zigzag |
| ZAP | 14 | to destroy suddenly; also to move very fast |
| ZAS | 12 | the plural of ZA, pizzas |
| ZAX | 19 | a tool for cutting roof slates |
| ZEA | 12 | the grass genus that includes maize |
| ZED | 13 | the letter Z |
| ZEE | 12 | the letter Z (American) |
| ZEK | 16 | a prisoner in a Soviet labour camp |
| ZEL | 12 | a small cymbal used in Middle Eastern music |
| ZEN | 12 | a form of Buddhism based on meditation |
| ZEP | 14 | a long filled sandwich roll |
| ZEX | 19 | a tool for cutting slates |
| ZHO | 15 | a cross between a yak and a cow |
| ZIG | 13 | a sharp turn in a zigzag |
| ZIN | 12 | a zinfandel wine (informal) |
| ZIP | 14 | to fasten with a zipper; also to move fast |
| ZIT | 12 | a pimple |
| ZIZ | 21 | a short nap (informal) |
| ZOA | 12 | animals collectively (the plural of ZOON) |
| ZOL | 12 | a hand-rolled cannabis cigarette (South African) |
| ZOO | 12 | a place where animals are kept for people to see |
| ZOS | 12 | the plural of ZO, crosses between yaks and cows |
| ZUZ | 21 | an ancient Jewish silver coin |
| ZZZ | 30 | the sound of snoring; sleep |
The complete list: 1,351 words (CSW24)
Here is every three-letter word in CSW24 (Collins Scrabble Words, 2024 edition), grouped by first letter. To keep the page fast and readable, meanings are given for the high-value Q, J, Z and X words in the table above rather than for all 1,351 words — the list below is the complete, unabridged word list itself. To find what your own rack can make from it, run your letters through the Anagram Solver or the Words With Letters tool.
Jump to a letter: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z
A — 96 words
AAHAALAASABAABBABSABYACEACHACKACTADDADOADSADZAFFAFTAGAAGEAGOAGSAHAAHIAHSAIAAIDAILAIMAINAIRAISAITAJIAKAAKEALAALBALEALLALPALSALTALUAMAAMEAMIAMPAMUANAANDANEANIANNANSANTANYAPEAPOAPPAPTARBARCARDAREARFARKARMAROARSARTARYASHASKASPASSATEATSATTAUAAUEAUFAUKAVAAVEAVIAVOAWAAWEAWKAWLAWNAXEAYEAYSAYUAZO
B — 64 words
BAABACBADBAEBAGBAHBALBAMBANBAOBAPBARBASBATBAWBAYBEDBEEBEGBELBENBESBETBEYBEZBIBBIDBIGBINBIOBISBITBIZBOABOBBODBOGBOHBOIBOKBONBOOBOPBORBOSBOTBOWBOXBOYBRABROBRRBRUBUBBUDBUGBUMBUNBURBUSBUTBUYBYEBYS
C — 50 words
CAACABCADCAFCAGCALCAMCANCAPCARCATCAWCAYCAZCEECELCEPCHACHECHICIDCIGCISCITCLYCOBCODCOGCOLCONCOOCOPCORCOSCOTCOWCOXCOYCOZCRUCRYCUBCUDCUECUMCUPCURCUTCUZCWM
D — 70 words
DABDADDAEDAGDAHDAKDALDAMDANDAPDASDAWDAYDEBDEEDEFDEGDEIDELDENDEPDEVDEWDEXDEYDIBDIDDIEDIFDIGDIMDINDIPDISDITDIVDOBDOCDODDOEDOFDOGDOHDOLDOMDONDOODOPDORDOSDOTDOWDOXDOYDRYDSODUBDUDDUEDUGDUHDUIDUMDUNDUODUPDURDUXDYEDZO
E — 61 words
EANEAREASEATEAUEBBECHECOECUEDHEDSEEKEELEENEEWEFFEFSEFTEGGEGOEHSEIKEKEELDELFELKELLELMELSELTEMEEMOEMSEMUENDENEENGENSEONERAEREERFERGERKERMERNERRERSESSESTETAETHEUKEVEEVOEWEEWKEWTEWWEXOEYE
F — 61 words
FAAFABFADFAEFAGFAHFAMFANFAPFARFASFATFAVFAWFAXFAYFEDFEEFEGFEHFEMFENFERFESFETFEUFEWFEYFEZFIBFIDFIEFIGFILFINFIRFITFIXFIZFLUFLYFOBFOEFOGFOHFONFOOFOPFORFOUFOXFOYFRAFROFRYFUBFUDFUGFUMFUNFUR
G — 62 words
GABGADGAEGAGGAKGALGAMGANGAPGARGASGATGAUGAWGAYGEDGEEGELGEMGENGEOGERGETGEYGHIGIBGIDGIEGIFGIGGINGIOGIPGISGITGJUGNUGOAGOBGODGOEGONGOOGORGOSGOTGOVGOXGRRGUBGUEGULGUMGUNGUPGURGUSGUTGUVGUYGYMGYP
H — 60 words
HADHAEHAGHAHHAJHAMHANHAOHAPHASHATHAWHAYHEHHEMHENHEPHERHESHETHEWHEXHEYHICHIDHIEHIMHINHIPHISHITHMMHOAHOBHOCHODHOEHOGHOHHOIHOMHONHOOHOPHOSHOTHOWHOXHOYHUBHUEHUGHUHHUIHUMHUNHUPHUTHYEHYP
I — 28 words
ICEICHICKICYIDEIDSIFFIFSIGGILKILLIMPINGINKINNINSINTIONIOSIREIRKISHISMISOITAITSIVYIWI
J — 29 words
JABJAGJAIJAKJAMJAPJARJAWJAYJEEJETJEUJIBJIGJINJIZJOBJOEJOGJOLJORJOTJOWJOYJUDJUGJUNJUSJUT
K — 39 words
KABKAEKAFKAIKAKKAMKASKATKAWKAYKEAKEBKEDKEFKEGKENKEPKETKEXKEYKHIKIDKIFKINKIPKIRKISKITKOAKOBKOIKONKOPKORKOSKOWKUEKYEKYU
L — 58 words
LABLACLADLAGLAHLAMLAPLARLASLATLAVLAWLAXLAYLEALEDLEELEGLEILEKLEPLETLEULEVLEWLEXLEYLIBLIDLIELIGLINLIPLISLITLOBLOCLODLOGLOOLOPLORLOSLOTLOULOWLOXLOYLUDLUGLUMLUNLURLUVLUXLUZLYELYM
M — 67 words
MAAMACMADMAEMAGMAKMALMAMMANMAPMARMASMATMAWMAXMAYMEDMEEMEGMEHMELMEMMENMESMETMEUMEWMHOMIBMICMIDMIGMILMIMMIRMISMIXMIZMMMMNAMOAMOBMOCMODMOEMOGMOIMOLMOMMONMOOMOPMORMOSMOTMOUMOWMOYMOZMUDMUGMUMMUNMUSMUTMUXMYC
N — 53 words
NABNAENAGNAHNAMNANNAPNASNATNAVNAWNAYNEBNEDNEENEFNEGNEKNEPNETNEWNIBNIDNIENILNIMNIPNISNITNIXNOBNODNOGNOHNOMNONNOONORNOSNOTNOWNOXNOYNTHNUBNUGNUNNURNUSNUTNYENYMNYS
O — 73 words
OAFOAKOAROATOBAOBEOBIOBOOBSOCAOCHODAODDODEODSOESOFFOFTOHMOHOOHSOIKOILOISOKAOKEOLDOLEOLMOMAOMSONEONOONSONYOOFOOHOOMOONOOPOOROOSOOTOPAOPEOPSOPTORAORBORCORDOREORFORGORSORTOSEOUDOUKOUPOUROUSOUTOVAOWEOWLOWNOWOOWTOXOOXYOYEOYS
P — 77 words
PACPADPAHPAKPALPAMPANPAPPARPASPATPAVPAWPAXPAYPEAPECPEDPEEPEGPEHPELPENPEPPERPESPETPEWPHIPHOPHTPIAPICPIEPIGPINPIPPIRPISPITPIUPIXPLUPLYPOAPODPOHPOIPOLPOMPOOPOPPOSPOTPOWPOXPOZPREPROPRYPSIPSTPUBPUDPUGPUHPULPUNPUPPURPUSPUTPUYPWNPYAPYEPYX
Q — 4 words
QATQINQISQUA
R — 64 words
RADRAGRAHRAIRAJRAMRANRAPRASRATRAVRAWRAXRAYREBRECREDREEREFREGREHREIREMRENREOREPRESRETREVREWREXREZRHORHYRIARIBRIDRIFRIGRIMRINRIPRITRIZROBROCRODROEROKROMROOROTROWRUBRUCRUDRUERUGRUMRUNRUTRYARYERYU
S — 92 words
SABSACSADSAESAGSAISALSAMSANSAPSARSATSAUSAVSAWSAXSAYSAZSEASECSEDSEESEGSEISELSENSERSETSEVSEWSEXSEYSEZSHASHESHHSHOSHYSIBSICSIFSIGSIKSIMSINSIPSIRSISSITSIXSKASKISKYSLYSMASNYSOBSOCSODSOGSOHSOLSOMSONSOPSOSSOTSOUSOVSOWSOXSOYSOZSPASPYSRISTYSUBSUDSUESUGSUISUKSUMSUNSUPSUQSURSUSSWYSYESYN
T — 73 words
TABTADTAETAGTAITAJTAKTAMTANTAOTAPTARTASTATTAUTAVTAWTAXTAYTEATECTEDTEETEFTEGTELTENTESTETTEWTEXTHETHOTHYTICTIDTIETIGTIKTILTINTIPTISTITTIXTIZTOCTODTOETOGTOMTONTOOTOPTORTOTTOWTOYTRYTSKTUBTUGTUITUMTUNTUPTUTTUXTWATWOTWPTYETYG
U — 30 words
UDOUDSUEYUFOUGHUGSUKEULEULUUMEUMMUMPUMSUMUUNIUNSUPOUPSURBURDUREURNURPUSEUTAUTEUTSUTUUVAUWU
V — 32 words
VACVAEVAGVANVARVASVATVAUVAVVAWVAXVEEVEGVETVEXVIAVIDVIEVIGVIMVINVISVLYVOEVOGVOLVOMVORVOWVOXVUGVUM
W — 46 words
WABWADWAEWAGWAIWANWAPWARWASWATWAWWAXWAYWAZWEBWEDWEEWEMWENWETWEXWEYWHAWHOWHYWIGWINWISWITWIZWOEWOFWOKWONWOOWOPWOSWOTWOWWOXWRYWUDWUSWUZWYEWYN
X — 2 words
XEDXIS
Y — 36 words
YADYAEYAGYAHYAKYAMYAPYARYASYAWYAYYEAYEHYENYEPYERYESYETYEWYEXYEZYGOYINYIPYOBYODYOKYOMYONYOUYOWYUGYUKYUMYUPYUS
Z — 24 words
ZAGZAPZASZAXZEAZEDZEEZEKZELZENZEPZEXZHOZIGZINZIPZITZIZZOAZOLZOOZOSZUZZZZ
That is the whole list — 1,351 words. Pair it with the complete 2-letter word list and the plays in our high-scoring words guide, and you have the short-word foundation every strong player builds on.