What the word finder does
The word finder searches a dictionary of about 171,000 English words. Give it letters, and it shows every word you can make from them. Leave the letters empty, and it searches the whole dictionary using your other filters instead. Results are grouped by length, longest first, and common words are marked.
How to use the word finder
- Enter your letters (optional). Type up to 15 letters to see the words you can make from them. Each letter can be used as many times as you type it. Add up to three ? blanks for letters that could be anything – the letters they fill in are highlighted.
- Starts with. Type the letter or letters the word must begin with, such as "re" or "sh".
- Ends with. Type the ending you need, such as "ed", "ly" or "tion".
- Contains. Type letters that must appear together somewhere in the word, such as "ough".
- Length. Set a minimum and a maximum, or make them the same for an exact length.
- Search and browse. Tap a word to copy it, or use the three-dot menu for its definition, syllables, rhymes and anagrams.
Word finder using letters – or no letters at all
There are two ways to search. With letters, the word finder works like a rack of tiles: it only shows words you can spell with what you typed. That's the mode for word games and letter puzzles.
Without letters, it searches the whole dictionary. This is the mode for questions like "which words start with ch and end with ed?" or "what are some long words that contain ough?". Add a length and you have a quick word finder by letter pattern.
Ways to use the word finder
Word games
When you have letters to play, type them in and look at the longest words first. Add a starts with or ends with filter to build a word onto letters that are already on the board.
Crosswords
Know the first letter and the length? Set both and scan the list. When you know letters in the middle of the answer, the crossword helper handles full patterns.
Word search puzzles
Making a word search puzzle for a class or a party? Pull a list of words that fit a theme – words ending in "ing", or six-letter words starting with "sp" – then hide them in your grid.
Phonics and spelling lessons
Need examples of a spelling pattern? Search for words that contain "igh", end in "tion" or start with "kn", and you have a lesson list in seconds.
Poems, songs and slogans
Use starts with to find alliteration – several words that begin with the same sound – or ends with to find words that share an ending. For true rhymes, try the rhyme generator.
Tips
- Try it without letters. Starts with ch, ends with ed, length 7: you'll get chained, changed, charged, charmed, checked, cheered and chopped, among many others.
- Try it with letters. stone gives notes, onset, stone and tones, plus shorter words such as nest, note, one and ten.
- Use a blank. Add a ? to your letters when one letter could be anything.
- Need letters anywhere, in any order? Words with letters finds words that contain all of your letters, with any other letters around them.
- Want even more filters? The advanced word search adds excluded letters, patterns and part of speech.
- Browse by first letter. See all words that start with Q, or pick any letter from words that start with.
Questions
How do I use a word finder using letters?
Type your letters in the letters box and search. You'll see every word you can spell with them, longest first. Add filters such as starts with or length to narrow the list.
Can I search without any letters?
Yes. Leave the letters box empty and use starts with, ends with, contains and length on their own. The word finder then searches the whole dictionary.
What's the difference between the word finder and the word unscrambler?
They use the same engine. The word unscrambler is built around your letters; the word finder shows every filter up front and also works with no letters at all.
Is there a word finder by letter, like words starting with one letter?
Yes. Type a single letter in starts with and set a length, or browse a ready-made list such as words that start with Z.
How do I use the word finder containing letters?
Use the contains box for letters that sit together, like "ough". If the letters can be anywhere in the word, in any order, use words with letters instead.
Can I use it as a word finder for word search puzzles?
Yes. It's handy for building themed lists to hide in a grid. Pick a starting letter, an ending or a length, and collect the words you want in the copy panel.
Is the word finder free?
Yes – it's free, with no sign-up, no cookies and no tracking.
Last updated October 2, 2026