Five-letter position pattern

5 Letter Words with A as the 3rd Letter

Searching for 5 letter words with A as the 3rd letter? A is one of the most common third letters in five letter words, and it sits in the middle of everyday words such as YEARS, STATE, PLACE, AGAIN and START. The patterns and examples below make it quicker to solve Wordle, Scrabble and crossword clues.

1,615matching five-letter words

5 Letter Words with A as the 3rd Letter

abaca
abaci
aback
abacs
abada
abaff
abaft
abaka
abamp
aband
abase
abash
abask
abate
abaue
abave
abaya
abaze
acais
acale
acana
acapu
acara
acari
acast
acate
adage
adagy
adapt
adati
adaty
adawe
adawn
adaws
adays
aface
afald
afara
afars
agada
again
agama
agami
agamy
agape
agars
agasp
agast
agate
agaty
agave
agaze
ajaja
ajari
ajava
akala
akasa
alaap
alack
alada
alala
alamo
aland
alane
alang
alani
alans
alant
alapa
alaps
alarm
alary
alate
alays
amaas
amaga
amahs
amain
amala
amalg
amang
amani
amant
amapa
amass
amate
amaut
amaze
anabo
anack
anama
anana
anata
apace
apage
apaid
apair
apart
apass
apast
apayd
apays
araba
arabs
araby
araca
arace
arach
arado
arage
arain
arake
araks
arame
arank
arara
arars
araru
arase
arati
asale
asana
atake
atame
ataps
atavi
ataxy
avahi
avail
avale
avant
avast
awabi
awaft
await
awake
awald
awalt
awane
award
aware
awarn
awash
awato
awave
aways
ayahs
azans
baaed
baals
beach
beads
beady
beaks
beaky
beala
beams
beamy
beano
beans
beant
beany
beard
beare
bearm
bears
beast
beath
beati
beats
beaty
beaus
beaut
beaux
bhais
bhaji
bhalu
bhang
bhara
bhava
biabo
biach
biali
bialy
blabs
black
blade
blads
blady
blaer
blaes
blaff
blags
blahs
blain
blame
blams
bland
blank
blare
blart
blase
blash
blast
blate
blats
blatt
blaud
blawn
blaws
blayk
blays
blaze
blazy
boabs
boaks
board
boars
boart
boast
boats
braai
brace
brach
brack
bract
brads
braes
bragi
brags
brahm
braid
brail
brain
brake
braks
braky
brame
brand
brane
brank
brans
brant
brash
brass
brast
brats
brava
brave
bravi
bravo
brawl
brawn
braws
braxy
braye
brays
braza
braze
buats
buaze
bwana
bwazi
byard
caaba
caaed
caama
cease
ceaze
chace
chack
chaco
chado
chads
chafe
chaff
chaft
chain
chair
chais
chaja
chaka
chalk
chals
chamm
champ
chams
chana
chang
chank
chant
chaos
chape
chaps
chapt
chara
chard
chare
chark
charm
charr
chars
chart
chary
chase
chasm
chass
chati
chats
chauk
chaum
chaus
chave
chavs
chawk
chawl
chawn
chaws
chaya
chays
clach
clack
clade
clads
claes
clags
claik
claim
clake
clamb
clame
clamp
clams
clang
clank
clans
clape
claps
clapt
claro
clart
clary
clash
clasp
class
clast
clats
claut
clave
clavi
clavy
clawk
claws
claye
clays
coach
coact
coaid
coala
coals
coaly
coapt
coarb
coart
coast
coate
coati
coats
coaxy
craal
crabs
crack
craft
crags
craic
craie
craig
craik
crake
crame
cramp
crams
crane
crang
crank
crans
crany
crape
craps
crapy
crare
crash
crass
crate
crave
cravo
crawl
crawm
craws
craye
crays
craze
crazy
cyano
cyans
cyath
czars
daals
deads
deady
deair
deals
dealt
deans
deare
dearn
dears
deary
deash
death
deave
deaws
deawy
dhabb
dhaks
dhals
dhava
diact
diaka
dials
diamb
diane
diary
diazo
djave
doabs
doand
doats
doaty
drabs
drack
draco
draff
draft
drago
drags
drail
drain
drake
drama
drame
dramm
drams
drang
drank
drant
drape
draps
drate
drats
drave
drawk
drawl
drawn
draws
drays
duads
duali
duals
duans
duant
duars
dwaal
dwale
dwalm
dwams
dwang
dwarf
dwaum
dyads
ecads
ecart
egads
egall
ekaha
elaic
elain
elamp
eland
elans
elaps
elate
elayl
emacs
email
emane
enact
enage
enami
enapt
enarm
enate
epact
erade
erase
erato
etage
etang
etape
etats
evade
evase
exact
exalt
exams
exaun
eyass
faade
feals
feare
fears
feart
fease
feast
feats
featy
feaze
fiant
fiard
fiars
fiats
flabs
flack
flaff
flags
flail
flain
flair
flake
flaks
flaky
flamb
flame
flamm
flams
flamy
flane
flang
flank
flans
flaps
flare
flary
flash
flask
flats
flava
flavo
flawn
flaws
flawy
flaxy
flays
fname
foals
foaly
foams
foamy
frabs
frack
fract
frags
fraid
fraik
frail
fraim
frame
franc
frank
frape
frapp
fraps
frary
frase
frass
frate
frati
frats
fraud
fraus
frawn
frayn
frays
fuage
geals
geans
geare
gears
gease
geast
geats
ghain
ghana
ghast
ghats
ghaut
ghazi
giant
glace
glack
glade
glads
glady
glaga
glaik
glair
glaky
glali
glams
gland
glans
glare
glary
glass
glaum
glaur
glave
glaze
glazy
gnarl
gnarr
gnars
gnash
gnast
gnats
gnawn
gnaws
goads
goafs
goals
goary
goats
goaty
goave
graal
grabs
grace
gracy
grade
grads
graff
graft
grail
grain
graip
grama
grame
gramp
grams
gramy
grana
grand
grank
grano
grans
grant
grape
graph
grapy
grasp
grass
grate
grave
gravs
gravy
grays
graze
guaba
guaco
guaka
guama
guana
guano
guans
guara
guard
guars
guary
guasa
guava
guaza
gyals
haafs
haars
heads
heady
heald
heals
heame
heaps
heapy
heard
heare
hears
heart
heast
heath
heats
heave
heavy
heazy
hiant
hiate
hoaed
hoagy
hoard
hoars
hoary
hoast
huaca
huaco
icaco
icasm
idaho
idant
igapo
iiasa
ikans
ikary
ikats
ilama
image
imago
imams
imari
imaum
inact
inaja
inane
inapt
inark
inarm
irade
iraqi
irate
italy
izard
izars
jaaps
jeans
jeats
jhala
jiaos
jnana
juans
kaaba
kaama
kbars
keach
kearn
keats
keawe
khadi
khafs
khair
khaja
khaki
khans
khaph
khass
khats
khaya
khazi
kiaat
kiack
kiaki
kiang
klang
klans
klaps
knack
knags
knape
knaps
knark
knarl
knars
knaur
knave
knawe
koala
koali
koans
koaps
kraal
krabs
kraft
krait
krama
krang
krans
kranz
kraut
ksars
kvass
kyack
kyaks
kyang
kyars
kyats
laang
laari
leach
leads
leady
leafs
leafy
leaks
leaky
leams
leans
leant
leany
leaps
leapt
leare
learn
lears
leary
lease
leash
least
leath
leats
leave
leavy
leaze
liana
liane
liang
liard
liars
liart
llama
llano
loach
loads
loafs
loams
loamy
loans
loast
loath
loave
luach
luaus
lyams
lyard
lyart
lyase
maaed
maana
maare
maars
meach
meads
meals
mealy
meane
means
meant
meany
meare
mease
meath
meats
meaty
meaul
miami
miaou
miaow
miasm
miaul
miauw
mnage
moans
moats
muang
myall
naams
naans
neafe
neals
neaps
nears
neath
neats
ngaio
ngana
ngapi
ngati
niais
niata
njave
noahs
nuadu
nyaff
nyala
obang
odahs
odals
ofays
ogams
okapi
okays
omaha
omasa
opahs
opals
orach
oracy
orage
orale
orals
orang
orans
orant
orary
orate
osaka
otaku
otary
otate
ouabe
ovals
ovant
ovary
ovate
oxane
paals
paans
paauw
peace
peach
peage
peags
peaks
peaky
peals
peans
peare
pearl
pears
peart
pease
peasy
peats
peaty
peavy
peaze
phaet
phage
phane
phang
phano
phare
pharm
pharo
phase
phasm
piaba
piala
piani
piano
pians
plaas
place
plack
plaga
plage
plaid
plain
plait
plane
plang
plank
plans
plant
plaps
plash
plasm
plass
plast
plate
plats
platy
plaud
playa
plays
plaza
poach
poaka
poake
praam
prado
prads
prahm
prahu
prams
prana
prand
prang
prank
praos
prase
prate
prats
pratt
praty
praus
prawn
praya
prays
psalm
pyats
pzazz
qiana
quack
quads
quaff
quags
quail
quair
quais
quake
quaky
quale
qualm
quant
quare
quark
quarl
quart
quash
quasi
quass
quata
quate
quats
quauk
quave
quawk
quayd
quays
raash
reaal
reach
react
readd
readl
reads
ready
reaks
realm
realo
reals
reame
reams
reamy
reans
reaps
rearm
rears
reask
reast
reasy
reata
reate
reave
rhamn
riads
rials
riant
riata
roach
roads
roams
roans
roars
roary
roast
roate
ruach
ruana
ryals
saags
scabs
scads
scaff
scags
scail
scala
scald
scale
scall
scalp
scalt
scalx
scaly
scalz
scamp
scams
scand
scans
scant
scapa
scape
scapi
scare
scarf
scarn
scarp
scars
scart
scary
scase
scath
scats
scatt
scaud
scaul
scaum
scaup
scaur
scaut
scawd
scawl
scaws
sdayn
seals
seame
seams
seamy
seans
seare
sears
seary
sease
seats
seave
seavy
seaze
shack
shade
shado
shads
shady
shaft
shags
shahi
shahs
shake
shako
shakt
shaku
shaky
shale
shall
shalm
shalt
shaly
shama
shame
shams
shand
shank
shans
shant
shape
shaps
shapy
shard
share
shark
sharn
sharp
shart
shash
shaul
shaup
shave
shawl
shawm
shawn
shaws
shawy
shaya
shays
siafu
sials
skaff
skags
skail
skair
skald
skank
skart
skate
skats
skatt
skaws
slabs
slack
slade
slaes
slags
slaid
slain
slait
slake
slaky
slamp
slams
slane
slang
slank
slant
slape
slaps
slare
slart
slash
slask
slate
slath
slats
slaty
slaum
slave
slavs
slaws
slays
smaak
smack
smaik
small
smalm
smalt
smarm
smart
smash
smaze
snabs
snack
snaff
snafu
snags
snail
snake
snaky
snape
snaps
snapy
snare
snarf
snark
snarl
snars
snary
snash
snast
snath
snaws
soaks
soaky
soapi
soaps
soapy
soare
soars
soary
soave
spaad
space
spack
spacy
spade
spado
spaed
spaer
spaes
spags
spahi
spaid
spaik
spail
spain
spair
spait
spake
spald
spale
spall
spalt
spams
spane
spang
spank
spann
spans
spard
spare
spark
sparm
spars
spart
spary
spasm
spate
spath
spats
spaul
spave
spawl
spawn
spaws
spayd
spays
spaza
spazz
staab
stabs
stack
stade
staff
stage
stags
stagy
staia
staid
staig
stail
stain
staio
stair
stake
stale
stalk
stall
stamp
stand
stane
stang
stank
staph
staps
stare
stark
starn
starr
stars
start
starw
stary
stash
state
stats
stauk
staun
staup
stave
stawn
staws
stays
suade
suant
suave
swabs
swack
swads
swage
swags
swail
swain
swale
swaly
swami
swamp
swamy
swang
swank
swans
swape
swaps
swapt
sward
sware
swarf
swarm
swart
swash
swath
swats
swayl
sways
swazi
taals
taata
teach
teade
teads
teaed
teaer
teaey
teaks
teals
teams
tears
teart
teary
tease
teasy
teats
teaty
teave
teaze
thack
thagi
thaim
thala
thale
thali
thana
thane
thang
thank
thans
tharf
tharm
thars
thatd
thatn
thats
thave
thawn
thaws
thawy
tiang
tians
tiara
tiars
tlaco
toads
toady
toast
toaze
trabs
trabu
trace
track
tract
trade
trads
trady
tragi
traik
trail
train
trait
trama
trame
tramp
trams
trank
tranq
trans
trant
trape
traps
trapt
trash
trass
trasy
trats
tratt
trave
trawl
trays
tsade
tsadi
tsars
tuans
tuant
tuarn
tuart
tuath
twaes
twain
twait
twale
twals
twalt
twang
twank
twant
twats
tways
tzars
udals
udasi
ugali
ukase
ulama
ulans
umami
unact
unadd
unais
unamo
unapt
unark
unarm
unary
unaus
uparm
upaya
uraei
urali
uraos
urare
urari
urase
urate
usage
usant
usara
uvala
uvate
uzara
veale
veals
vealy
viage
vials
viand
vlach
voars
vraic
vyase
waacs
waapa
weaky
weald
weals
weamb
weans
wears
weary
weave
whack
whale
whalm
whalp
whaly
whame
whamo
whamp
whams
whand
whang
whank
whaps
whare
wharf
wharl
wharp
whart
whase
whata
whatd
whats
whauk
whaup
whaur
woads
woady
woald
wrack
wramp
wrang
wraps
wrapt
wrast
wrate
wrath
wrawl
xoana
xrays
yaars
yeads
yeahs
yealm
yeans
yeara
yeard
yearn
years
yeast
ygapo
yrapt
ysame
yuans
zeals
ziara
zoaea

The Main Letter Pairs Behind A in the Third Box

The quickest way to sort these words is by the two letters in the second and third boxes. EA gives YEARS, HEART and LEAST; TA gives STATE, START and STAND; LA gives PLACE, BLACK and CLASS; HA gives SHARE, SHALL and THANK; RA gives TRADE, TRACK and BRAND.

Useful five-letter words

YEARS, STATE, PLACE, AGAIN and START are the entries you are most likely to meet in a puzzle. SMALL, HEART and READY are worth keeping in reserve.

YEARS
STATE
PLACE
AGAIN
START

How to Narrow Down Words with A as the Third Letter

Look for a consonant blend or vowel pair in the first two boxes. S and T, P and L, B and L, and C and L come before A very often, and E in the second box gives EA words such as YEARS, HEART and LEAST. After the A, the fourth box is usually a consonant such as T, R, L, N or S. With the center in place, the opening and ending decide which of the likely words fits.

A Words in Scrabble and Other Word Games

In Scrabble, A is worth one point, so it is easy to play but adds little to a score on its own. Knowing words like YEARS, STATE and PLACE helps you play the tile quickly when it arrives.

Frequently asked questions

Why is A so common as the third letter

English words often follow a consonant blend with a vowel, and A is one of the most frequent vowels for that spot. That is why STATE, PLACE, START and SMALL all share the pattern.

Is A a common third letter in five letter words

A is one of the most common third letters in five letter words. That makes it a useful test, because the patterns above cover most of the words.

What are good 5 letter words with A as the 3rd letter to guess first

YEARS, STATE and PLACE are good places to start, because they are familiar and spread across different letters. AGAIN and START make good follow ups.