5 letter words starting with A
A is where alphabetical lists begin and where a lot of puzzle guesses begin too, because a word that opens with a vowel gives you a cheap early check on where the vowels sit. There are 497 five letter words starting with A.
Have the letters but not the word?
What are the best five letter words starting with A?
For an opening guess, the ones that spend their other four letters on common consonants: AROSE, ALTER, ADEPT, ARISE. Each carries a second vowel and three of the letters that appear most often in five letter words, so a single guess tells you a great deal.
The full list
Alphabetical, grouped by second letter, which is usually the fastest way to find what you want.
AA words 3
- aahed
- aalii
- aargh
AB words 36
- abaca
- abaci
- aback
- abaft
- abaka
- abamp
- abase
- abash
- abate
- abbas
- abbes
- abbey
- abbot
- abeam
- abele
- abets
- abhor
- abide
- abler
- ables
- abmho
- abode
- abohm
- aboil
- aboma
- aboon
- abort
- about
- above
- abris
- abuse
- abuts
- abuzz
- abyes
- abysm
- abyss
AC words 26
- acari
- acerb
- aceta
- ached
- aches
- achoo
- acids
- acidy
- acing
- acini
- ackee
- acmes
- acmic
- acned
- acnes
- acock
- acold
- acorn
- acred
- acres
- acrid
- acted
- actin
- actor
- acute
- acyls
AD words 27
- adage
- adapt
- addax
- added
- adder
- addle
- adeem
- adept
- adieu
- adios
- adits
- adman
- admen
- admit
- admix
- adobe
- adobo
- adopt
- adore
- adorn
- adown
- adoze
- adult
- adunc
- adust
- adyta
- adzes
AE words 5
- aecia
- aedes
- aegis
- aeons
- aerie
AF words 8
- afars
- affix
- afire
- afoot
- afore
- afoul
- afrit
- after
AG words 31
- again
- agama
- agape
- agars
- agate
- agave
- agaze
- agene
- agent
- agers
- agger
- aggie
- aggro
- aghas
- agile
- aging
- agios
- agism
- agist
- aglee
- aglet
- agley
- aglow
- agmas
- agone
- agons
- agony
- agora
- agree
- agria
- agues
AH words 3
- ahead
- ahold
- ahull
AI words 15
- aided
- aider
- aides
- ailed
- aimed
- aimer
- aioli
- aired
- airer
- airns
- airth
- airts
- aisle
- aitch
- aiver
AJ words 2
- ajiva
- ajuga
AK words 3
- akees
- akela
- akene
AL words 69
- alack
- alamo
- aland
- alane
- alang
- alans
- alant
- alarm
- alary
- alate
- albas
- album
- alcid
- alder
- aldol
- alecs
- alefs
- aleph
- alert
- alfas
- algae
- algal
- algas
- algid
- algin
- algor
- algum
- alias
- alibi
- alien
- alifs
- align
- alike
- aline
- alist
- alive
- aliya
- alkyd
- alkyl
- allay
- allee
- alley
- allod
- allot
- allow
- alloy
- allyl
- almah
- almas
- almeh
- almes
- almud
- almug
- aloes
- aloft
- aloha
- aloin
- alone
- along
- aloof
- aloud
- alpha
- altar
- alter
- altho
- altos
- alula
- alums
- alway
AM words 43
- amahs
- amain
- amass
- amaze
- amber
- ambit
- amble
- ambos
- ambry
- ameba
- ameer
- amend
- amens
- ament
- amias
- amice
- amici
- amide
- amido
- amids
- amies
- amiga
- amigo
- amine
- amino
- amins
- amirs
- amiss
- amity
- ammos
- amnia
- amnic
- amoks
- amole
- among
- amort
- amour
- ample
- amply
- ampul
- amuck
- amuse
- amyls
AN words 41
- ancon
- anear
- anele
- anent
- angas
- angel
- anger
- angle
- angry
- angst
- anile
- anils
- anima
- anime
- animi
- anion
- anise
- ankhs
- ankle
- ankus
- anlas
- annal
- annas
- annex
- annoy
- annul
- anoas
- anode
- anole
- anomy
- ansae
- antae
- antas
- anted
- antes
- antic
- antis
- antra
- antre
- antsy
- anvil
AO words 1
- aorta
AP words 24
- apace
- apart
- apeak
- apeek
- apers
- apery
- aphid
- aphis
- apian
- aping
- apish
- apnea
- apods
- aport
- appal
- appel
- apple
- apply
- apres
- apron
- apses
- apsis
- apter
- aptly
AQ words 2
- aquae
- aquas
AR words 49
- araks
- arbor
- arced
- arcus
- ardeb
- ardor
- areae
- areal
- areas
- areca
- areic
- arena
- arete
- argal
- argil
- argle
- argol
- argon
- argot
- argue
- argus
- arhat
- arias
- ariel
- arils
- arise
- arles
- armed
- armer
- armet
- armor
- aroid
- aroma
- arose
- arpen
- arras
- array
- arris
- arrow
- arses
- arsis
- arson
- artal
- artel
- artsy
- arums
- arval
- arvos
- aryls
AS words 24
- asana
- ascot
- ascus
- asdic
- ashed
- ashen
- ashes
- aside
- asked
- asker
- askew
- askoi
- askos
- aspen
- asper
- aspic
- aspis
- assai
- assay
- asses
- asset
- aster
- astir
- asyla
AT words 16
- ataps
- ataxy
- atilt
- atlas
- atman
- atmas
- atoll
- atoms
- atomy
- atone
- atony
- atopy
- atria
- atrip
- attar
- attic
AU words 20
- audad
- audio
- audit
- auger
- aught
- augur
- aulic
- aunts
- aunty
- aurae
- aural
- aurar
- auras
- aurei
- aures
- auric
- auris
- aurum
- autos
- auxin
AV words 12
- avail
- avant
- avast
- avens
- avers
- avert
- avgas
- avian
- avion
- aviso
- avoid
- avows
AW words 10
- await
- awake
- award
- aware
- awash
- awful
- awing
- awned
- awoke
- awols
AX words 14
- axels
- axial
- axile
- axils
- axing
- axiom
- axion
- axite
- axled
- axles
- axman
- axmen
- axone
- axons
AY words 2
- ayahs
- ayins
AZ words 11
- azans
- azide
- azido
- azine
- azlon
- azoic
- azole
- azons
- azote
- azoth
- azure
180 of these are common enough to be in everyday use. Turn on the filter above to hide the rest.
Of the 497 words on this page, 180 are common enough to be in everyday use. The rest are legal in word games and unfamiliar in conversation, which is exactly the gap that makes a list like this worth having open beside a board.
Words starting with A often carry a second A: AGAVE, ATTAR, ACARI. If you have already established that a puzzle answer holds two of the same vowel, filtering this page to a double A is a quicker route than guessing.
Other word lengths
The same complete list treatment for every length from 2 to 15 letters.
Five letter words by starting letter
Each letter has its own page with the full list and notes on how that letter behaves at five letters.