Words That Start With U — Scrabble & Word Games

U is the 13th most common letter in English at about 2.8%. It is a vowel but also the obligatory companion of Q in nearly every English Q-word. U’s frequency is boosted by high-frequency closed-class words (UP, US, UN-prefix words) and by a long list of Latin-derived roots.

In Scrabble, U is worth 1 point with 4 U tiles in the bag. U is a rare vowel because of its scarcity on the rack, which makes it a strategic commodity. If you hold a U, don’t play it unless you also play the Q (to unstick a Q-stuck future rack).

Productive U-prefixes include UN- (not, reversal — UNDO, UNHAPPY, UNKNOWN), which is by far the most productive prefix in English — it attaches to thousands of adjectives and verbs. Other U-prefixes: UNDER- (below — UNDERSTAND, UNDERGO), UNI- (one — UNIVERSE, UNIFORM), ULTRA- (beyond — ULTRASOUND, ULTRAMODERN). U- initial words are disproportionately prefix-formed.

Top 500 Highest-Scoring Words Starting With U (500 of 9,522)

UNSYMPATHIZING34
UNDEREMPHASIZED33
UNDEREMPHASIZES32
UNDERPUBLICIZED32
UNEQUIVOCABLY32
UNHOUZZLED32
UNHYDROLYZED32
UNMUZZLINGS32
UNSYNCHRONIZED32
UNAPPETIZINGLY31
UNCIVILIZEDLY31
UNDEREMPHASIZE31
UNEXCEPTIONABLY31
UNMUZZLING31
UNOBJECTIONABLY31
UNPUZZLING31
UNQUENCHABLY31
UNRECOGNIZABLY31
UNVANQUISHABLE31
UNACCLIMATIZED30
UNBRIZZED30
UNCHRISTIANIZED30
UNCIVILIZEDNESS30
UNCOMPUTERIZED30
UNDAZZLING30
UNEQUIVOCALLY30
UNMACADAMIZED30
UNMECHANIZING30
UNMUZZLED30
UNPREJUDICEDLY30
UNPUZZLED30
UNQUANTIZED30
UNRHYTHMICALLY30
UNSYMMETRIZED30
ULTRACIVILIZED29
UNBOWDLERIZED29
UNCATEGORIZABLE29
UNCHASTIZABLE29
UNCHRISTIANIZES29
UNCONQUERABLY29
UNCRYSTALLIZED29
UNDAZZLED29
UNDERCAPITALIZE29
UNEMPHASIZED29
UNEQUIVOCABLE29
UNEQUIVOCALNESS29
UNEXCEPTIONALLY29
UNHOMOGENIZED29
UNIVERSALIZABLE29
UNMECHANIZED29
UNMUZZLES29
UNPUZZLES29
UNQUALIFIEDLY29
UNSYSTEMATIZED29
UBIQUITARIANISM28
UNACQUAINTANCES28
UNANAESTHETIZED28
UNAPPROACHABLY28
UNCHRISTIANIZE28
UNCOPYRIGHTABLE28
UNDAZZLES28
UNDERQUALIFIED28
UNEXCEPTIONABLE28
UNEXCLUSIVELY28
UNEXEMPLIFIED28
UNEXPENSIVELY28
UNJUSTIFIABLY28
UNMECHANIZES28
UNMETHODIZED28
UNMUZZLE28
UNOBJECTIONABLE28
UNOXIDIZED28
UNPUBLICIZED28
UNPUZZLE28
UNQUALIFIEDNESS28
UNQUALIFYING28
UNQUANTIFIABLE28
UNQUENCHABLE28
UNQUESTIONABLY28
UNQUESTIONINGLY28
UNRECOGNIZABLE28
UNROMANTICIZED28
UNVANQUISHED28
ULTRAHAZARDOUS27
UNACQUAINTANCE27
UNANESTHETIZED27
UNCAPITALIZED27
UNCAPSIZABLE27
UNCHOREOGRAPHED27
UNCOMPREHENSIVE27
UNCONJUNCTIVE27
UNDAZZLE27
UNEMPLOYABILITY27
UNEXPECTEDLY27
UNFEUDALIZING27
UNFORMALIZED27
UNFREQUENTLY27
UNHUMANIZING27
UNIMPEACHABLY27
UNIVERSALIZING27
UNMECHANIZE27
UNMETABOLIZED27
UNPHILOSOPHICAL27
UNPLASTICIZED27
UNQUALIFIABLE27
UNQUICKENED27
UNSPECIALIZED27
UNSPIRITUALIZED27
UNSYMMETRICALLY27
UNTHOUGHTFULLY27
UNTHRIFTYHEADS27
UNVERBALIZED27
UNVULGARIZING27
UBIQUITINATIONS26
UBIQUITOUSLY26
ULTRAEXCLUSIVE26
ULTRAMICROSCOPY26
UNACCEPTABILITY26
UNACCOMPLISHED26
UNACKNOWLEDGED26
UNADVERTIZED26
UNANALYZABLE26
UNAPOLOGIZING26
UNAPPETIZING26
UNCHALLENGEABLY26
UNCHANGEABILITY26
UNCHASTIZED26
UNCIRCUMSCRIBED26
UNCIVILIZED26
UNCOMMUNICATIVE26
UNCOMPLIMENTARY26
UNCOMPREHENDING26
UNCONQUERABLE26
UNCOQUETTISH26
UNDEREXPLOITING26
UNEMPHATICALLY26
UNEXPECTEDNESS26
UNEXTINGUISHED26
UNEXTRAORDINARY26
UNFEUDALIZED26
UNFLAPPABILITY26
UNFOREKNOWABLE26
UNFREQUENTING26
UNHUMANIZED26
UNINFORMATIVELY26
UNIVERSALIZED26
UNKNOWLEDGEABLE26
UNMATERIALIZED26
UNMETAPHYSICAL26
UNORTHODOXLY26
UNPICTURESQUE26
UNPOLARIZABLE26
UNPROTESTANTIZE26
UNRECOGNIZING26
UNSPECIFICALLY26
UNSPIRITUALIZES26
UNSTANDARDIZED26
UNSTIGMATIZED26
UNTHINKABILITY26
UNTHRIFTYHEAD26
UNTHRIFTYHEDS26
UNVERIFIABILITY26
UNVOCALIZED26
UNVULGARIZED26
UNWATCHFULLY26
UNWESTERNIZED26
UNWORKMANLIKE26
USQUEBAUGHS26
UBIQUITINATION25
UBIQUITOUSNESS25
UNACCOMMODATING25
UNACQUAINTING25
UNADJUDICATED25
UNAPPROACHABLE25
UNAUTHORIZED25
UNBAPTIZING25
UNBELIEVABILITY25
UNCHIVALROUSLY25
UNCOMFORTABLY25
UNCOMMENDABLY25
UNCOMPLAININGLY25
UNCOMPREHENDED25
UNCOMPROMISABLE25
UNCONCEIVABLY25
UNCONFORMABLY25
UNCONJECTURED25
UNCONVINCINGLY25
UNCOOPERATIVELY25
UNDEREMPLOYMENT25
UNDEREXPLOITED25
UNDERPRIZING25
UNDERUTILIZING25
UNDISCOVERABLY25
UNDRAMATIZED25
UNEQUIVOCAL25
UNEXPERIENCED25
UNFATHOMABLY25
UNFERTILIZED25
UNFEUDALIZES25
UNFLINCHINGLY25
UNFOSSILIZED25
UNFREQUENTED25
UNGLAMORIZED25
UNGRAMMATICALLY25
UNHEALTHFULLY25
UNHUMANIZES25
UNHYSTERICALLY25
UNIMMUNIZED25
UNINQUISITIVE25
UNIVERSALIZES25
UNJUSTIFIABLE25
UNKNOWABILITY25
UNMODERNIZED25
UNNILQUADIUMS25
UNORTHODOXY25
UNPARASITIZED25
UNPASTEURIZED25
UNPERCEIVABLY25
UNPHILOSOPHIC25
UNPRAISEWORTHY25
UNPREJUDICED25
UNPRESSURIZED25
UNPRODUCTIVELY25
UNPRODUCTIVITY25
UNPROFITABILITY25
UNPROVOKEDLY25
UNQUANTIFIED25
UNQUENCHED25
UNQUESTIONABLE25
UNRECOGNIZED25
UNREFLECTIVELY25
UNREQUITEDLY25
UNRHYTHMICAL25
UNSCRUTINIZED25
UNSPIRITUALIZE25
UNSUBSIDIZED25
UNSYMPATHETIC25
UNSYMPATHISING25
UNTHANKFULLY25
UNTHRIFTYHED25
UNVIZARDING25
UNVULGARIZES25
UNWATCHFULNESS25
UNWORKABILITY25
USQUEBAUGH25
UTILITARIANIZED25
UBIQUITARIANS24
UBIQUITARY24
ULTRAORTHODOX24
ULTRASONOGRAPHY24
UMBRACULIFORM24
UNACADEMICALLY24
UNACCOMMODATED24
UNACCUSTOMEDLY24
UNACQUAINTED24
UNAFFECTEDLY24
UNAMBIVALENTLY24
UNAPPREHENSIBLE24
UNAPPREHENSIVE24
UNAPPROVINGLY24
UNBAPTIZED24
UNCANONIZING24
UNCHAUVINISTIC24
UNCHECKABLE24
UNCHRISTIANLIKE24
UNCOMMUNICABLE24
UNCOMPLAISANTLY24
UNDECIPHERABLE24
UNDERACHIEVING24
UNDEREMPHASISED24
UNDEREXPOSING24
UNDEREXPOSURES24
UNDERPERFORMING24
UNDERPRIZED24
UNDERUTILIZED24
UNEQUIPPED24
UNEXCAVATED24
UNEXCEPTIONAL24
UNEXPLAINABLE24
UNEXPRESSIBLE24
UNEXPRESSIVE24
UNEXPUGNABLE24
UNFAITHFULLY24
UNFASHIONABLY24
UNFEUDALIZE24
UNFIXEDNESSES24
UNFLAPPABLENESS24
UNFORGIVABLY24
UNFORTHCOMING24
UNFREEZINGS24
UNGIMMICKY24
UNHACKNEYED24
UNHAZARDED24
UNHAZARDOUS24
UNHEALTHFULNESS24
UNHUMANIZE24
UNHYPHENATED24
UNIMAGINATIVELY24
UNIMPEACHABLE24
UNINTOXICATING24
UNIVERSALIZE24
UNKNOWABILITIES24
UNLIQUEFIED24
UNMISTAKEABLY24
UNMORALIZING24
UNNATURALIZING24
UNNEWSWORTHIEST24
UNNEWSWORTHY24
UNNILHEXIUMS24
UNNILQUADIUM24
UNORTHODOXIES24
UNOXYGENATED24
UNPATRONIZED24
UNPERCEIVEDLY24
UNPERPLEXING24
UNPRECEDENTEDLY24
UNPROGRESSIVELY24
UNQUALIFIED24
UNQUALIFY24
UNQUEENLIKE24
UNRECOMMENDABLE24
UNSENSUALIZING24
UNSHAKEABLENESS24
UNSHRINKINGLY24
UNSOCIALIZED24
UNSUBJECTING24
UNSUCCESSFULLY24
UNTHANKFULNESS24
UNTHINKABLENESS24
UNTHRIFTIHEADS24
UNTOUCHABILITY24
UNTRUSTWORTHILY24
UNVIZARDED24
UNVULGARIZE24
UNWHOLESOMELY24
UNWITHDRAWING24
UNWITHHOLDING24
UNWORKABILITIES24
UPCHUCKING24
URBANIZATIONS24
UTILITARIANIZES24
UTOPIANIZING24
UBIQUITARIAN23
ULTRACOMMERCIAL23
ULTRAMICROSCOPE23
ULTRAMICROTOMY23
ULTRAPHYSICAL23
UNACCEPTABLY23
UNAFFECTEDNESS23
UNAMORTIZED23
UNANALYZED23
UNANSWERABILITY23
UNANTICIPATEDLY23
UNAPPRECIATIVE23
UNAVOIDABILITY23
UNBAPTIZES23
UNCANONIZED23
UNCHALLENGEABLE23
UNCHANGEABLY23
UNCHEERFULLY23
UNCHRONOLOGICAL23
UNCHURCHLY23
UNCIRCUMCISIONS23
UNCLIMBABLENESS23
UNCOMMUNICATED23
UNCOMPANIONABLE23
UNCOMPROMISING23
UNCONJUGATED23
UNCONQUERED23
UNCONSCIONABLY23
UNCONTEMPORARY23
UNDECIDABILITY23
UNDECOMPOSABLE23
UNDERACHIEVED23
UNDERACHIEVERS23
UNDERDEVELOPING23
UNDEREMPHASISES23
UNDEREXPLOITS23
UNDEREXPOSED23
UNDEREXPOSURE23
UNDERFULFILLING23
UNDERPERFORMED23
UNDERPRIVILEGED23
UNDERPRIZES23
UNDERPUBLICISED23
UNDERQUOTING23
UNDERSHERIFFS23
UNDERSUBSCRIBED23
UNDERSUPPLYING23
UNDERUTILIZES23
UNDERWHELMING23
UNDIFFERENCED23
UNDOGMATICALLY23
UNENJOYABLE23
UNEXAGGERATED23
UNEXCLUSIVE23
UNEXPENSIVE23
UNEXPURGATED23
UNFAITHFULNESS23
UNFAVORABLENESS23
UNFAVOURABLY23
UNFAZABLE23
UNFLAPPABLY23
UNFORGIVINGNESS23
UNFREEZING23
UNFREQUENTS23
UNHELPFULNESSES23
UNHYDROLYSED23
UNIDIOMATICALLY23
UNKNOWABLENESS23
UNKNOWINGNESSES23
UNLIQUIDATED23
UNLOCALIZED23
UNMATHEMATICAL23
UNMERCHANTABLE23
UNMETAPHORICAL23
UNMISTAKABLY23
UNMORALIZED23
UNNATURALIZED23
UNNEWSWORTHIER23
UNNILHEXIUM23
UNOFFICIALLY23
UNPATHWAYED23
UNPERPLEXED23
UNPOLARIZED23
UNPRACTICALITY23
UNPREDICTABLY23
UNPRIZABLE23
UNPROGRAMMABLE23
UNPROJECTED23
UNPROVOCATIVE23
UNPURCHASEABLE23
UNQUAKING23
UNQUALIFIES23
UNQUESTIONING23
UNREALIZABLE23
UNRECONCILABLY23
UNRECOVERABLY23
UNREFLECTINGLY23
UNREMARKABLY23
UNREPROACHFUL23
UNRHYTHMIC23
UNROMANIZED23
UNSENSUALIZED23
UNSHAKABLENESS23
UNSHAKEABLY23
UNSOPHISTICATED23
UNSPEAKABLENESS23
UNSPORTSMANLIKE23
UNSUBJECTED23
UNSYMPATHY23
UNSYNCHRONISED23
UNTHINKABLY23
UNTHINKINGLY23
UNTHRIFTIHEAD23
UNWHOLESOMENESS23
UNWORSHIPFUL23
UNWORSHIPPED23
UNZIPPING23
UPCHUCKED23
UPGRADEABILITY23
URALITIZATIONS23
URBANIZATION23
UTILITARIANIZE23
UTOPIANIZED23
UTOPIANIZERS23
UBIQUINONES22
UBIQUITY22
ULTRADEMOCRATIC22
ULTRAEFFICIENT22
UMQUHILE22
UNACCOMPANIED22
UNACCOUNTABLY22
UNACHIEVABLE22
UNACQUAINTS22
UNADVENTUROUSLY22
UNAFFECTIONATE22
UNAPOSTOLICALLY22
UNAPPETISINGLY22
UNAPPREHENDED22
UNAPPROACHED22
UNAPPROPRIATING22
UNARTIFICIALLY22
UNATTRACTIVELY22
UNAUTHENTICITY22
UNAVAILABILITY22
UNBAPTIZE22
UNBECOMINGLY22
UNBELIEVABLY22
UNBELIEVINGLY22
UNBLINDFOLDING22
UNBLINKINGLY22
UNBROTHERLIKE22
UNCANONIZES22
UNCEREMONIOUSLY22
UNCERTIFICATED22
UNCHANGINGLY22
UNCHARISMATIC22
UNCHARITABLY22
UNCHECKING22

Frequently Asked Questions

How many English words start with U?

The letter U opens 9,522 words in this list (2.7% of the dictionary). U is ranked 13th in standard English letter-frequency tables and accounts for about 2.8% of written text.

What's the highest-scoring word starting with U in Scrabble?

The top-scoring U-word in our list is UNSYMPATHIZING at 34 points (TWL letter values, before any premium-square bonuses). U itself is worth 1 point as a tile.

What's the shortest word starting with U?

Our shortest U-starting word is UG (2 letters). These short entries are tactically useful: play one onto a triple-letter square and you score fast without burning through your rack.