Sick of losing at Scrabble to an elderly relative who seems to have memorized the entire dictionary? This guide to the best Scrabble words will give you a secret edge. We’ll teach you the highest scoring words you should keep in the back of your mind as you play, as well as some invaluable plays that can pull you out of a tight spot.
It takes a while to go from learning the Scrabble rules to achieving spelling supremacy. But we have plenty more tips that’ll help you win this great word board game. Our Scrabble strategy guide will enable you to swot up on the right tactics, and if there’s a particularly tough letter giving you grief, you might need these Scrabble words with Q or Scrabble words with Z.
High scoring Scrabble words
It’s worth knowing some of the top high scoring Scrabble words, but we won’t devote too much time to them. The truth is, you’re unlikely to ever have the perfect rack of letters and board state to lay down most of these in your Scrabble playing career.
Still, if the right combination comes up, you won’t want to miss the chance to play the best Scrabble words for raw score value. Most of these words will clear your board, so you can mentally add 50 points to their score value.
| Word | Points | Definition |
| Flapjack | 26 | A sweet treat made from oats. |
| Muzjiks | 29 | A Russian peasant (particular under the Tsars). |
| Quixotic | 26 | Idealistic and impractical. |
| Freezing | 21 | Very cold/in the process of turning to ice. |
| Quantize | 26 | Split something into measurable chunks (used in physics and music). |
| Chutzpah | 27 | Self-confidence or audacity |
| Oxyphenbutazone | 41 | An anti-inflammatory drug |
Oxy-what-now? Okay, that last one’s a bit of a gag entry. Theoretically, Oxyphenbutazone is the highest scoring word possible. But it requires precisely the right Scrabble board state, with crisscrossing words you can piggyback off.
Best Scrabble words for using up hard letters
Drawing some of the highest scoring Scrabble letters is a bit of a double-edged sword. You don’t want to be stuck with these hard letters at the end of the game, since that provides the finishing player with more points. However, getting these tiles can allow for some devastatingly good turns that’ll win you the game.
You need to know a good range of obscure words using Js, Zs, Xs, and Qs, to ensure you don’t get trapped with one, and to maximize the chance of scoring off a triple letter or triple word space.
| Word | Points | Definition |
| Qi | 11 | Vital energy or life force used in some traditional Chinese medicines and martial arts. |
| Zex | 19 | A tool for cutting roof slate. |
| Za | 11 | Shortened form of ‘pizza’. |
| Qat | 12 | Alternate spelling of khat, an Arabian shrub used as a stimulant. |
| Zebu | 15 | A South-Asian subspecies of cattle. |
| Xu | 9 | Defunct form of Vietnamese currency – rough equivalent of a cent. |
| Wiz | 15 | Someone who is very skilled or knowledgeable about something. |
| Jo | 9 | Scottish word for sweetheart. |
| Zax | 19 | Alternate spelling of Zex (the roof slate cutting axe). |
Best Scrabble words for using up consonants
Proper rack management is vital in Scrabble. There’s nothing worse than getting stuck with a load of consonants or vowels, as you’ll be left unable to play decent-sized Scrabble words, perhaps for a large chunk of the game.
These Scrabble words with consonants can get you out of a sticky situation, and allow you to draw more vowels for a healthier rack. And because they have some difficult letters, they do alright on points as well.
| Word | Points | Definition |
| Pyx | 15 | In Christianity: A container used to carry the consecrated bread (Eucharist). |
| Xylyl | 18 | Relate to the group of atoms (CH3)2C6H3 derived from Xylene. |
| Flyby | 16 | A flight over or past a location or object, often for observing. |
| Crwth | 13 | Medieval Welsh instrument – like a lute or violin. |
| Cwm | 10 | A steep valley, or hollow surrounded by slopes. |
Best scrabble words for using up vowels
Having too many vowels can be even worse than extra consonants, since it’s often harder to get rid of them using tiles your opponents’ have laid down.
These vowel-heavy Scrabble words can save you from maximum frustration. As you’ll notice, most are not very high scoring, but that’s not so important. Getting rid of excess vowels can set you up for a far better turn later on.
| Word | Points | Definition |
| Aalii | 5 | Hawaiian word for a species of sticky shrub. |
| Eerie | 5 | Spooky, unsettling. |
| Ouija | 12 | A board of letters used by psychics (or horror movie victims) to communicate with the dead. |
| Adieu | 6 | Goodbye, or (used as a noun) a goodbye. |
| Olea | 4 | A genus of flowering plant that includes the olive. |
| Coatee | 8 | A tightfitting uniform coat worn by European soldiers in the late 1700s/early 1800s. |
| Hoagie | 10 | A sub – type of long sandwich. |
| Eelier | 6 | More eely. Yes, really! |
Once you become a master who never loses, it’s only a matter of time before your family and friends refuse to play Scrabble with you. But not to worry, we can help you succeed at a load more classic board games.
Why not master a more strategic game with our tips for the best Chess openings. Or you could devote a lot of time to a less prestigious game and learn how to win Connect 4 every single time.