4 Letter Words Starting with Z
There are 31 4-letter English words that start with Z, ranging alphabetically from ZAGS to ZYME. Top Scrabble® scorers on this list: ZYME (18), ZONK (17), ZEKS (17). The longest entry here is ZAGS at 4 letters.
Word list
Z
- ZAGS14 pts
- ZANY16 pts
- ZAPS15 pts
- ZARF16 pts
- ZEAL13 pts
- ZEBU15 pts
- ZEDS14 pts
- ZEES13 pts
- ZEIN13 pts
- ZEKS17 pts
- ZERK17 pts
- ZERO13 pts
- ZEST13 pts
- ZETA13 pts
- ZIGS14 pts
- ZILL13 pts
- ZINC15 pts
- ZING14 pts
- ZINS13 pts
- ZIPS15 pts
- ZITI13 pts
- ZITS13 pts
- ZOEA13 pts
- ZOIC15 pts
- ZONE13 pts
- ZONK17 pts
- ZOOM15 pts
- ZOON13 pts
- ZOOS13 pts
- ZORI13 pts
- ZYME18 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 | zyme | 18 | 18 |
| 2 | zonk | 17 | 18 |
| 3 | zeks | 17 | 17 |
| 4 | zerk | 17 | 17 |
| 5 | zany | 16 | 16 |
| 6 | zarf | 16 | 16 |
| 7 | zebu | 15 | 17 |
| 8 | zinc | 15 | 17 |
| 9 | zaps | 15 | 16 |
| 10 | zips | 15 | 16 |
Strategy for this list
Z is worth 10 in Scrabble and starts ~600 words — the smallest slice of any letter. Z's value is entirely in premium placements — Z on a triple-letter square scores 30 for the Z alone. Z-openers with premium potential include ZAX, ZEE, ZEP, ZLOTY. In Wordle, Z in position 1 is one of the rarest openers — a strong isolation test if you suspect it from earlier feedback.
FAQs
How many 4-letter words start with Z?
31 valid 4-letter English words begin with Z 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).