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Word generator by pattern

Know some letters but not others? Type a pattern with wildcards and get every word that fits. Or switch to Random Mode and generate words from presets, with five dictionary sources, smart suggestions, history and favorites.

Open the generatorPattern syntaxDictionariesPresetsUse casesFAQ
Pattern
Matches

The generator

Generate words by pattern or at random

Dictionary Source

Results

0 matching words
No Words Generated YetUse the controls above to generate words matching your criteria

Recently Generated

Loading word list… of real words served live from this site (the actual tool’s full dictionaries — every word length). Switch the dictionary chips to change the source; history, favorites and suggestions all run in the page.

The short answer

A word generator by pattern finds words that fit the letters you know and leaves the rest open. Type c?t and get cat, cot and cut. Use Random Mode when you just want a fresh word.

2modes: Pattern Mode and Random Mode
5dictionary sources: All, Standard, CSW24, NWL23, WWF
6one-click presets, from Bingo Words to Q Without U
★history and favorites so good words are never lost
Two modes

Pattern Mode or Random Mode?

Pattern Mode

You know where some letters sit. Type the pattern, with ? for an unknown letter and * for any run of letters, or fill the Starts With, Ends With, Contains, Excludes, length and letter-frequency fields. The generator returns every word that fits. Click a Quick Preset to load ready-made filters here. This is the mode for Wordle, crosswords and finding a play on a Scrabble board.

Random Mode

You want ideas, not a search. Choose a dictionary source, set a length or a start and end, then press Generate Word for one word or Generate 10 Words for a batch. Great for practice, brainstorming and game prep.

Smart Suggestions

Click Generate Suggestions for smart word ideas, and Refresh for a new set. Treat them as inspiration and confirm validity in the dictionary your game uses.

History and Favorites

History lists what you generated recently, and Clear History empties it. Save standouts to Favorites so you can come back to them for the next game.

Pattern syntax

How to write a word pattern

Three rules cover everything: type the letters you know, use ? for exactly one unknown letter, and use * for any run of letters, including none.

?One unknown letterc?t → cat, cot, cut
*Any run of letters, including none*tion → action, nation, motion
lettersA letter you know, in its exact spots?a?? → shade, shark, stare, swarm
?ightFixed ending, unknown start?ight → light, might, night, right, sight
un*ableFixed start and end, anything betweenun*able → unable, unbeatable
??z??A letter in the exact middle??z?? → pizza, dozen, mazes
?l?veSeveral known slots at once?l?ve → alive, clove, glove, olive

Know which letters are in the word but not where? Use words with letter. Know only the start or end? Try words that start with, words that end in or the combine word generator.

Dictionary source

Pick the word list your game uses

Word games disagree about which words are valid. Choose the dictionary that matches the game you are playing, so every word you play is a word your game accepts.

SourceWhat it isBest for
AllEvery list combinedCasting the widest net. A word shown here may not be valid in a specific game, so switch lists before you play.
StandardA general English word listEveryday vocabulary, writing prompts, spelling and teaching.
CSW24Collins Scrabble Words 2024Scrabble outside North America and in international tournaments. The largest of the Scrabble lists.
NWL23NASPA Word List 2023Scrabble in the United States and Canada, including club and tournament play.
WWFWords With FriendsThe game’s own dictionary. It overlaps heavily with Scrabble lists but is not identical.

A word can be valid in one list and invalid in another. When in doubt, check it against the source you will play with. Need board-aware help? Use the Scrabble word finder, Words With Friends cheat or Wordfeud cheat.

Quick presets

Six presets, explained

Click a preset and Pattern Mode opens with ready-made filters filled in — length range, letter frequency and more — then generates ten words straight away. Here is what each one sets.

Scrabble StartA quick set of words to open a game or warm up a rack.Good for practice rounds and finding a first play. Sets Min 2, Max 8, Common letters.
Bingo WordsLong words that use all seven tiles in one turn.A bingo earns a 50-point bonus in Scrabble and 35 in Words With Friends. Sets Word Length 7, Min 3, Max 10, Common letters.
Short HooksShort words that take a letter in front or at the back.Hooks like CAT→CATS or AT→CAT let you play two words at once. Sets Min 2, Max 3.
Vowel HeavyWords packed with vowels, such as audio, adieu or queue.Helps when your rack is full of vowels or for Wordle openers. Sets Min 5, Max 10, Vowel-heavy.
Consonant HeavyWords with few vowels, such as rhythm, crypts or glyphs.Useful when you are stuck with too many consonants. Sets Min 5, Max 10, Consonant-heavy.
Q Without UWords with Q that don’t need a U: qi, qat, qadi, qaid, qanat, qoph.Q is worth 10 points, so these save a turn and score big. Sets Contains q, Excludes u, Min 3, Max 10.
Use cases

What to do with a pattern

Wordle

Green tiles tell you exact positions. Turn them into a pattern such as s?a?e and list the candidates, then confirm with the Wordle solver, Wordle bot or today’s Wordle answers.

Crosswords

Crossing letters give you a pattern like ?r?s?. Enter it and read off the options that fit the clue. Many daily puzzles are covered in Connections answers and Letter Boxed.

Scrabble and Words With Friends

Match a word to a gap on the board, such as ?a?e between two tiles, then choose the dictionary for your game and the highest score.

Hangman and word puzzles

Revealed letters make a pattern: _ a _ _ becomes ?a??. Use it to guess smarter, or to set puzzles for friends.

Rhymes, poems and names

Search *ight or ?ow to find words that share an ending, or generate random words for brainstorming names and titles.

Teaching and spelling

Build word families with a fixed ending, like ?at or ?ake, and check phonics patterns with th* or *ough.

Pick the right tool

Patterns, rack letters or must-have letters?

Letters in known spotsYou know where some letters go.This page
Only your rackYou hold tiles and can use each once.Making words from letters
Use every letterRearrange all letters into one word.Anagram solver, jumble solver, word descrambler
Must contain lettersLetters can be anywhere in the word.Words with letter
Fixed length and startYou know the length and the first letter.Letter words starting with
Fixed length and endYou know the length and the last letter.Letter words ending with
Play smarter

Patterns in your favorite games

Wordscapes, Text Twist, Word Cookies

These give you a circle of letters. Use Wordscapes cheat, Text Twist solver or Word Cookies answers, then pattern-match a stubborn blank.

Picture puzzles

Stuck on a photo clue? 4 Pics 1 Word answers cover them, and a pattern helps when you already have some letters.

Daily puzzles

Contexto, Semantle, Waffle, Phoodle and Loldle, plus all DLE games.

More tools

Every way to find a word

FAQ

Questions about the word generator by pattern

What is a word generator by pattern?

It finds or creates words that fit a pattern of known and unknown letters. You type the letters you know in their exact positions and use a wildcard for the ones you don’t, and the tool returns every word that fits.

How do I write a pattern?

Use ? for one unknown letter and * for any run of letters, including none. Type letters you know in their exact spots. For example, c?t finds cat, cot and cut, and *tion finds words ending in -tion.

What is the difference between Random Mode and Pattern Mode?

Random Mode generates words from your chosen filters, such as a dictionary source, a length or a start and end, which suits practice, ideas and game prep. Pattern Mode searches with a pattern plus structured filters like Starts With, Contains, Min and Max Length and Letter Frequency, which suits Wordle, crosswords and board games. The six Quick Presets fill these Pattern Mode filters with ready-made settings in one click.

Which dictionary source should I choose?

Choose the list your game uses. CSW24 is Collins Scrabble Words, used outside North America. NWL23 is the NASPA Word List, used in US and Canadian Scrabble. WWF is Words With Friends. Standard is a general English list, and All combines everything.

What are Bingo Words?

A bingo is a play that uses all seven tiles from your rack. It earns a 50-point bonus in Scrabble and 35 points in Words With Friends. The Bingo Words preset gives you long words to study.

What are hooks in Scrabble?

A hook is a letter you can add to the front or back of an existing word to make a new word, such as adding S to CAT to make CATS. Short hooks let you play a second word in the same turn.

Are smart suggestions always valid words?

Treat smart suggestions as ideas. Always check a word against the dictionary source that matches your game before you play it.

Can I save words I like?

Yes. Use Favorites to keep words you want to revisit, and History to see what you generated recently. Clear History removes the recent list.