Word list
Words That Start With Y
All 999 English words that start with Y, ordered with the most common first. Each one links to its definition, score and anagrams.
Find words that start with Y from your letters
Up to 15 letters. Use ? for a blank or wildcard tile.
Showing only starting with Y.
Enter at least two letters to see every word you can make.
Quick answer
How many words start with Y?
There are 999 English words that start with Y. The most common include YIELD, YELLOW, YELL, YOUNG, YIELDING, YOKE, and one of the highest scoring is YELLOWHAMMER at 25 points.
- Total words
- 999
- Letter
- Y
- Top score
- 25 pts
- Shortest
- 2
Common words that start with Y
Showing the 500 most common of 999.
- yield9
- yellow12
- yell7
- young9
- yielding13
- yoke11
- yesterday16
- yank11
- yankee13
- yawn10
- youth11
- yawning14
- yen6
- yak10
- yarn7
- yaw9
- yawl10
- year7
- yearly12
- yowl10
- yard8
- yet6
- years8
- yelp9
- yacht13
- yale7
- yap8
- yearn8
- yoga8
- yonder10
- yack13
- yahoo11
- yakuza22
- yam8
- yammer13
- yardbird15
- yarder10
- yardman13
- yawp12
- yea6
- yearbook17
- yearling12
- yeast8
- yeasty12
- yenta8
- yeoman11
- yeomanry16
- yew9
- yip8
- yodel9
- yogi8
- yolk11
- yon6
- yuan7
- yardstick19
- yardage12
- yaws10
- yearning12
- yelled10
- yelling11
- yelping13
- yes6
- yokel12
- yottabyte17
- younger11
- youngish15
- youthful17
- yucca12
- yacca12
- yachting17
- yagi8
- yang8
- yanker13
- yardarm13
- yarmelke17
- yarmulka17
- yarmulke17
- yarrow12
- yashmac17
- yashmak19
- yataghan15
- yaup9
- yautia9
- yawner12
- yay9
- yeah10
- yearlong12
- yearner10
- yeller9
- yellowed15
- yeshiva16
- yeshivah20
- yeti7
- yid7
- yielder11
- yin6
- yips9
- ylem9
- yob8
- yobbo12
- yodeling13
- yodeller12
- yodh11
- yoghourt15
- yoghurt14
- yogic11
- yogurt10
- yokelish18
- yore7
- york11
- younker14
- yttrium12
- yucky17
- yule7
- yuletide12
- yummy15
- yuppie13
- yurt7
- yellowbird19
- yellowtail16
- yellowwood20
- youngster13
- yachtsman19
- yeastlike16
- yellowfin18
- yellowish18
- youngness13
- ytterbite14
- ytterbium16
- yearningly17
- yesteryear16
- yardmaster16
- yellowcake22
- yellowlegs17
- yellowness16
- yieldingly18
- youthfully22
- yellowhammer25
- yachtswoman24
- yellowthroat21
- youthfulness21
- ya5
- yaar7
- yaars8
- yaba9
- yabas10
- yabba12
- yabbas13
- yabber13
- yabbered16
- yabbers14
- yabbie13
- yabbied15
- yabbies14
- yabby15
- yabbying19
- yaccas13
- yachted16
- yachter15
- yachters16
- yachtie15
- yachties16
- yachtman18
- yachtmen18
- yachts14
- yacka14
- yackas15
- yacked16
- yacker15
- yackers16
- yacking17
- yacks14
- yad7
- yads8
- yae6
- yaff13
- yaffed16
- yaffing17
- yaffle15
- yaffles16
- yaffs14
- yag7
- yager9
- yagers10
- yagger11
- yaggers12
- yagis9
- yags8
- yah9
- yahooism16
- yahoos12
- yahrzeit23
- yahs10
- yaird9
- yairds10
- yakhdan18
- yakhdans19
- yakimono17
- yakitori15
- yakka16
- yakkas17
- yakked18
- yakker17
- yakkers18
- yakking19
- yakow15
- yakows16
- yaks11
- yald8
- yales8
- yamalka16
- yamalkas17
- yamen10
- yamens11
- yammered16
- yammerer15
- yammers14
- yampies14
- yampy15
- yams9
- yamulka16
- yamulkas17
- yamun10
- yamuns11
- yangs9
- yanked14
- yankees14
- yankers14
- yankie13
- yankies14
- yanking15
- yanks12
- yanqui18
- yanquis19
- yantra9
- yantras10
- yaourt9
- yaourts10
- yapock17
- yapocks18
- yapok14
- yapoks15
- yapon10
- yapons11
- yapp11
- yapped14
- yapper13
- yappers14
- yappie13
- yappier14
- yappies14
- yappiest15
- yapping15
- yapps12
- yappy15
- yaps9
- yapster12
- yapsters13
- yaqona18
- yaqonas19
- yar6
- yarco10
- yarcos11
- yardages13
- yardang12
- yardangs13
- yardarms14
- yarded11
- yarders11
- yarding12
- yardings13
- yardland13
- yardmen13
- yards9
- yardwand16
- yardwork19
- yare7
- yarely12
- yarer8
- yarest9
- yarfa11
- yarfas12
- yark11
- yarked14
- yarking15
- yarks12
- yarned10
- yarner9
- yarners10
- yarning11
- yarns8
- yarpha14
- yarphas15
- yarr7
- yarraman13
- yarramen13
- yarran9
- yarrans10
- yarrows13
- yarrs8
- yarta8
- yartas9
- yarto8
- yartos9
- yashmacs18
- yashmaks20
- yasmak15
- yasmaks16
- yatagan11
- yatagans12
- yate7
- yates8
- yatter9
- yattered12
- yatters10
- yaud8
- yauds9
- yauld9
- yauped12
- yauper11
- yaupers12
- yauping13
- yaupon11
- yaupons12
- yaups10
- yautias10
- yawed12
- yawey14
- yawing13
- yawled13
- yawling14
- yawls11
- yawmeter16
- yawned13
- yawners13
- yawnier13
- yawniest14
- yawnings15
- yawns11
- yawnsome16
- yawny14
- yawped15
- yawper14
- yawpers15
- yawping16
- yawpings17
- yawps13
- yawy13
- yays10
- ybet9
- yblent11
- ybore10
- ybound12
- ybounden14
- ybrent11
- yclad11
- ycled11
- ycleepe14
- ycleeped16
- ycleepes15
- ycleped15
- yclept13
- ycond11
- ydrad10
- ydred10
- ye5
- yead8
- yeading12
- yeads9
- yeahs11
- yealdon11
- yealdons12
- yealing11
- yealings12
- yealm10
- yealmed13
- yealming14
- yealms11
- yean7
- yeaned10
- yeaning11
- yeanling12
- yeans8
- yeard9
- yearded12
- yearding13
- yeards10
- yearend11
- yearends12
- yearlies11
- yearned11
- yearners11
- yearns9
- yeas7
- yeasayer14
- yeasted11
- yeastier11
- yeastily14
- yeasting12
- yeasts9
- yebo9
- yecch15
- yecchs16
- yech12
- yechier15
- yechiest16
- yechs13
- yechy16
- yede8
- yedes9
- yeding11
- yeed8
- yeeding12
- yeeds9
- yeelin9
- yeelins10
- yegg9
- yeggman14
- yeggmen14
- yeggs10
- yeh9
- yeld8
- yeldring13
- yeldrock18
- yelk11
- yelks12
- yellers10
- yellings12
- yelloch15
- yellochs16
- yellower14
- yellowly17
- yellows13
- yellowy16
- yells8
- yelm9
- yelmed12
- yelming13
- yelms10
- yelped12
- yelper11
- yelpers12
- yelpings14
- yelps10
- yelt7
- yelts8
- yemmer13
- yemmers14
- yenned10
- yenning11
- yens7
- yentas9
- yente8
- yentes9
- yeomanly16
- yeomen11
- yep8
- yeps9
- yerba10
- yerbas11
- yerd8
- yerded11
- yerding12
- yerds9
- yerk11
- yerked14
- yerking15
- yerks12
- yersinia11
- yeses8
- yeshivas17
- yeshivot17
- yesk11
- yesked14
- yesking15
- yesks12
- yessed10
- yesses9
- yessing11
- yest7
- yester9
- yestern10
- yestreen11
- yests8
- yesty11
- yetis8
- yett7
- yettie9
- yetties10
- yetts8
- yeuk11
- yeuked14
- yeukier14
- yeukiest15
- yeuking15
- yeuks12
- yeuky15
- yeve10
- yeven11
- yeves11
Words beginning with Y by length
The most common words of each length, with how many there are in total.
3 letter words that start with Y
34 words · all 3 letter words
- yen6
- yak10
- yaw9
- yet6
- yap8
- yam8
- yea6
- yew9
- yip8
- yon6
4 letter words that start with Y
120 words · all 4 letter words
- yell7
- yoke11
- yank11
- yawn10
- yarn7
- yawl10
- year7
- yowl10
- yard8
- yelp9
5 letter words that start with Y
176 words · all 5 letter words
6 letter words that start with Y
178 words · all 6 letter words
- yellow12
- yankee13
- yearly12
- yonder10
- yakuza22
- yammer13
- yarder10
- yeasty12
- yeoman11
- yelled10
7 letter words that start with Y
173 words · all 7 letter words
- yawning14
- yardman13
- yardage12
- yelling11
- yelping13
- younger11
- yardarm13
- yashmac17
- yashmak19
- yearner10
8 letter words that start with Y
126 words · all 8 letter words
- yielding13
- yardbird15
- yearbook17
- yearling12
- yeomanry16
- yearning12
- youngish15
- youthful17
- yachting17
- yarmelke17
9 letter words that start with Y
86 words · all 9 letter words
- yesterday16
- yardstick19
- yottabyte17
- youngster13
- yachtsman19
- yeastlike16
- yellowfin18
- yellowish18
- youngness13
- ytterbite14
10 letter words that start with Y
48 words · all 10 letter words
- yellowbird19
- yellowtail16
- yellowwood20
- yearningly17
- yesteryear16
- yardmaster16
- yellowcake22
- yellowlegs17
- yellowness16
- yieldingly18
Highest-scoring words that start with Y
Scrabble points before premium squares, with Words With Friends points for comparison.
| Word | Scrabble | Words With Friends |
|---|---|---|
| YOUTHQUAKES | 30 | 30 |
| YOUTHQUAKE | 29 | 29 |
| YACHTSMANSHIPS | 29 | 30 |
| YACHTSMANSHIP | 28 | 29 |
| YELLOWHAMMERS | 26 | 28 |
| YUPPIFICATIONS | 26 | 30 |
| YELLOWHAMMER | 25 | 27 |
| YOKOZUNAS | 25 | 26 |
| YELLOWBACKS | 25 | 28 |
| YUPPIFICATION | 25 | 29 |
| YACHTSWOMAN | 24 | 25 |
| YOKOZUNA | 24 | 25 |
Common openings for words that start with Y
The letter pairs that begin the most Y words.
Words starting with YA
285 words
- yank11
- yankee13
- yawn10
- yawning14
- yak10
- yarn7
- yaw9
- yawl10
- yard8
- yacht13
Words starting with YU
95 words
- yuan7
- yucca12
- yucky17
- yule7
- yuletide12
- yummy15
- yuppie13
- yurt7
- yu5
- yuans8
Using Y in word games
Y is a common consonant worth few points on its own, which makes it a workhorse rather than a scorer. Its value is in flexibility: with 999 words available, it combines readily with most racks.
The list above is ranked by how often each word appears in written English rather than alphabetically. That ordering matters in play, because a word your opponent recognises is far less likely to be challenged than an obscure one of the same value.
Finding the ones you can actually play
A full list is useful for study, but during a game you need the overlap between the list and your rack. Enter your tiles into the finder above and the results narrow to words that start with Y and that your letters can actually build. Add a length filter if you are fitting a specific gap on the board.
Other letters
Browse another way
Frequently asked questions
How many words start with Y?
There are 999 English words that start with Y in this dictionary of over 270,000 words, counting inflected forms such as plurals and past tenses.
What are some common words that start with Y?
The most common are YIELD, YELLOW, YELL, YOUNG, YIELDING, YOKE, YESTERDAY, YANK, YANKEE, YAWN. The list on this page is ordered by how frequently each word appears in written English, so the most familiar come first.
What is the highest-scoring word that start with Y?
YELLOWHAMMER is among the highest scoring at 25 points in Scrabble. Words containing Q, Z, X and J score highest because those tiles carry the most points.
How do I find words that start with Y using my own letters?
Use the finder at the top of this page. Enter the letters you have, and the results are filtered to words that start with Y. You can also set an exact word length.