Skip to content
Play:

5 Letter Words Starting with L

There are 401 5-letter English words that start with L, ranging alphabetically from LAARI to LYTTA. Top Scrabble® scorers on this list: LEZZY (26), LAXLY (15), LAZED (15). Roughly 9% of these words end in E, so an E-hook on the board is worth watching for.

Word list

L

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.

#WordScrabbleWWF
1lezzy2626
2laxly1516
3lazed1516
4lymph1516
5lucky1416
6lazar1415
7lazes1415
8loxed1314
9lynch1314
10lumpy1215

Strategy for this list

L is worth 1 in Scrabble and starts ~5,000 words. L is a flexible letter — it forms LA, LI, LO two-letter words, extends to LY hooks (all -LY adverbs) and combines with almost every vowel and consonant. L-openers with premium potential include LAZED, LAZIEST, LAYING. In Wordle, L is high-frequency in position 2 and 4 (SLATE, PLATE, WHALE) — testing L in one of those positions is a strong mid-game move.

FAQs

How many 5-letter words start with L?

401 valid 5-letter English words begin with L 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).

Refine by length — words starting with L