Let’s be clear. There are indeed valid English words without vowels that are playable in word games like Scrabble. The diversity, complexity and straight-up weirdness of the English language scoffs at universal rules. Several words, particularly those not from English’s two main parents, Latin and German, are words without A E I O U in them.
No one expects words with no vowels, but they certainly exist and they’re powerful plays indeed. Knowing words your opponent won’t be looking for is vital for any word gamer. At WordFinder®, we’ve gathered a list of valuable English words without vowels we think you should know.
List of Words With No Vowels (But Sometimes Y)
Yes, English is actually full of words with no vowels. Or at least not A, E, I, O or U. And the reason is one letter long: Y. That's one way to get five letter words without vowels, like you might want when solving Wordle each day. After all, 5 letter words are the name of that game.
Y is a flexible letter, standing in for Greek upsilon and various Nordic constructions of the same sound. The “and sometimes Y” rule empowers you to play words with only consonants for big point potential. Even better, many of them can be pluralized with just an S, giving you more opportunities to score.
For example:
Fly: The act of flying or a type of common, two-winged insect.
Hymn(s): A religious song or song or praise.
Lynx: A type of wildcat.
Myth(s): A story without an author usually intended to teach a lesson.
Pyx: A small container for carrying the Eucharist.
Rhythm(s): A recurring movement of sound or speech.
Sync(s): To match up.
See AlsoWords With Q and Without UXyst(s): A long and open portico in a gymnasium.
17 Five-Letter Words Without Vowels for Wordle
Dealing with difficult Wordle puzzles that are testing your patience words with no vowels as answers? Those pop up every now and then. They're even more common when trying to solve Quordle each day. Don’t risk your win streak by making random guesses. Instead, try some 5 letter words that only use Y as a vowel. These are five letter words without A, E, I, O or U.
Crypt: An underground chamber or vault commonly used as a burial chamber.
Dryly: To do something in a dry or matter-of-fact manner.
Glyph: A symbolic character or sign that is cut or carved into the surface of something.
Lymph: The clear or yellowish fluid that contains white blood cells and is found in body tissues.
Lynch: The unlawful execution of someone by a mob.
Myrrh: A gum resin used in making incense.
Nymph: A mythological deity usually represented as a beautiful maiden.
Psych: To intimidate, outwit or put someone in a certain frame of mind.
Pygmy: Any person, animal or plant that is abnormally undersized.
Rynds: The iron crossbar support for a millstone
Shyly: In a shy manner.
Slyly: To do something in a sly manner.
Sylph: A slim, graceful woman or girl.
Synch: Variation on sync, short for synchronize.
Tryst: An agreement made by secret lovers to meet at a specific time and place.
Wryly: To make a comment that can be perceived as purposefully sarcastic or ironic.
Wynds: Scottish term for narrow lanes or alleys between houses
The Welsh W Adds More Words Without Vowels
There are two obscure words that use W as their singular vowel, both taken from Welsh. Welsh takes “double-u” literally; the W is a long U sound. Since W by itself is worth 4 points in both Scrabble GO and Words With Friends, these words are pure gold for players in need. If you need words with no vowels, just the Welsh W, they are:
Cwm: A circular space or arrangement.
Crwth: An ancient Celtic instrument.
Words Without A, E, I, O, U, Y or W Sound Good
These do exist! Thank that old spelling bee favorite, onomatopoeia. More specifically, thank the remarkable power of the human voice, because even with alternate pronunciations, we can make an awful lot of sounds not summed up by A, E, I, O, U, Y, or W. These are English words that don’t have vowels, both in terms of vowel sounds and vowel symbols.
Onomatopoeias sometimes lack vowels because some vocalizations lack vowel analogues. A few other oddities also sneak in, ready to help toss unwanted letters and get some A’s and E’s into your hand. For example:
Brrr or brr: An expression of being cold.
Nth: Of an indefinitely large quantity.
Pfft: Suggesting a sudden ending.
Phpht or pht: Interjection to indicate mild annoyance.
Psst: An interjection to attract someone's attention.
Shh: Used to urge or request silence.
Tsk: Sound made to express disapproval.
Tsktsk: Alternative version of tsk.
You’ll notice that both “phpht” here and “crwth” above are five letter words without vowels. They may or may not show up as Wordle answers or as words in one of the many Wordle spinoffs, like Quordle, Dordle or Octordle.
English as a Patchwork Language
The only sure rule in English is that English has no sure rules. In a language that swipes vocabulary from Akkadian to Zyzzyva, there’s an exception to every rule, no matter how strict or simple. Words without vowels exist amongst the vowel words in the English language, and many are high-value strategic tools for any serious word gamer.
For more strategic tools, check out WordFinder’s curated collection of word lists, including words with just vowels, to help prep for your next game. Or use our cheat tool to unscramble letters and find words in your favorite games. Happy pwning!
Michael Kwan is a professional writer and editor with over 16 years of experience. Fueled by caffeine and WiFi, he's no stranger to word games and dad jokes.
