3 Letter Words Starting with B
There are 52 3-letter English words that start with B, ranging alphabetically from BAA to BYS. Top Scrabble® scorers on this list: BIZ (14), BOX (12), BOW (8). The list is ordered alphabetically; use the filter box below to jump to a specific starting letter.
Word list
B
- BAA5 pts
- BAD6 pts
- BAG6 pts
- BAH8 pts
- BAL5 pts
- BAM7 pts
- BAN5 pts
- BAP7 pts
- BAR5 pts
- BAS5 pts
- BAT5 pts
- BAY8 pts
- BED6 pts
- BEE5 pts
- BEG6 pts
- BEL5 pts
- BEN5 pts
- BET5 pts
- BEY8 pts
- BIB7 pts
- BID6 pts
- BIG6 pts
- BIN5 pts
- BIO5 pts
- BIS5 pts
- BIT5 pts
- BIZ14 pts
- BOA5 pts
- BOB7 pts
- BOD6 pts
- BOG6 pts
- BOO5 pts
- BOP7 pts
- BOS5 pts
- BOT5 pts
- BOW8 pts
- BOX12 pts
- BOY8 pts
- BRA5 pts
- BRO5 pts
- BRR5 pts
- BUB7 pts
- BUD6 pts
- BUG6 pts
- BUM7 pts
- BUN5 pts
- BUR5 pts
- BUS5 pts
- BUT5 pts
- BUY8 pts
- BYE8 pts
- BYS8 pts
Point values shown are Scrabble® (letters only, before board bonuses). Browse deeper via the word-lists hub.
Top 10 highest-scoring words
Scored on letters only (no board bonuses). WWF uses different tile values from Scrabble — J, Q and Z are worth 10 points in WWF; X is worth 8.
| # | Word | Scrabble | WWF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | biz | 14 | 15 |
| 2 | box | 12 | 13 |
| 3 | bow | 8 | 9 |
| 4 | buy | 8 | 9 |
| 5 | bah | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | bay | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | bey | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | boy | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | bye | 8 | 8 |
| 10 | bys | 8 | 8 |
Strategy for this list
B is worth 3 in Scrabble and starts a moderate share of the dictionary (~4,000 words). High-value B-openers include BAZAAR, BEZEL, BLITZ and BLAZE — B lets you score for both the leading tile and the vowel that follows. In Wordle, B-starters cluster around BREAD, BRAIN, BLACK and BROWN — testing a B in position 1 confirms both the letter and one of the most common English opening consonant clusters (BR-, BL-). The two-letter B-words (BA, BE, BI, BO, BY) are all valid and BY at 7 points is a top-value two-letter play.
FAQs
How many 3-letter words start with B?
52 valid 3-letter English words begin with B in the ENABLE English word list.
Are these valid in Wordle and Scrabble?
Words on this page come from the ENABLE English word list. UK Scrabble (Collins Scrabble Words) accepts the overwhelming majority; a handful may not be legal in the North American NASPA Word List (NWL2023).