Five-letter position pattern

5 Letter Words with R as the 3rd Letter

Looking for 5 letter words with R as the 3rd letter? R is one of the most common third letters, and it follows a vowel in everyday words like FIRST, WORLD, PARTY and EARLY. Use the patterns and examples below to narrow down your next guess in Wordle, Scrabble and other word games.

1,614matching five-letter words

5 Letter Words with R as the 3rd Letter

aargh
aarti
abram
abray
abret
abrim
abrin
abris
acred
acres
acrid
acron
acryl
adrad
adred
adret
adrip
adrop
adrue
aeric
aerie
aeros
afray
afret
afrit
afros
agrah
agral
agree
agria
agrin
agrom
airan
aired
airer
airns
airth
airts
akron
amrit
aorta
apres
apron
arrah
arras
arrau
array
arret
arrgt
arrha
arrie
arris
arrow
arroz
atren
atria
atrip
aurae
aural
aurar
auras
aurei
aures
auric
aurin
aurir
auris
aurum
auryl
ayres
ayrie
barad
barat
barba
barbe
barbs
barbu
barby
barca
barde
bardo
bards
bardy
bared
barer
bares
baret
barff
barfs
barfy
barge
bargh
baria
baric
barid
barie
barih
baris
barks
barky
barly
barms
barmy
barns
barny
baroi
baron
barps
barra
barre
barro
barry
barse
barye
berat
beray
beres
beret
bergs
bergy
berko
berks
berme
berms
berob
beroe
berry
berth
berun
beryl
beryx
birch
birde
birds
birdy
birks
birky
birle
birls
birma
birne
birny
biros
birri
birrs
birse
birsy
birth
borak
boral
boras
borax
borde
bords
bored
boree
borel
borer
bores
borgh
borgo
boric
borid
borks
borms
borna
borne
boron
borts
borty
bortz
boryl
buran
burao
buras
burbs
burds
burel
buret
burez
burga
burge
burgh
burgs
burin
burka
burke
burks
burls
burly
burma
burns
burnt
buroo
burps
burqa
burro
burrs
burry
bursa
burse
burst
burys
byres
byrls
byrri
carap
carat
carbo
carbs
carby
cardi
cardo
cards
cardy
cared
carer
cares
caret
carex
carga
cargo
carib
carid
carks
carle
carls
carne
carns
carny
caroa
carob
carol
carom
caron
carpe
carpi
carps
carrs
carry
carse
carta
carte
carts
carty
carua
carus
carve
carvy
ceral
ceras
cerat
cerci
cered
cerer
ceres
cerge
ceria
ceric
cerin
cerne
ceros
certs
certy
ceryl
chria
circa
circe
circs
cires
cirls
cirri
corah
coral
coram
coran
corbe
corby
cords
cored
corer
cores
corey
corge
corgi
coria
corke
corks
corky
corms
corni
corno
corns
cornu
corny
coroa
corpl
corpn
corps
corse
corso
corsy
corta
corve
corvo
coryl
curat
curbs
curby
curch
curds
curdy
cured
curer
cures
curet
curfs
curia
curie
curin
curio
curli
curls
curly
curns
curny
currs
curry
curse
cursi
curst
curua
curve
curvy
darac
daraf
darat
darbs
darcy
dared
darer
dares
darga
dargs
daric
darii
daris
darks
darky
darns
daroo
darre
darst
darts
darzi
derah
derat
deray
derby
dered
deres
deric
derig
derma
derms
derns
derog
deros
derri
derro
derry
derth
derve
dervs
diram
direr
direx
dirge
dirgy
dirke
dirks
dirls
dirts
dirty
dorab
dorad
doray
dorba
dorbs
doree
dores
doric
doris
dorje
dorks
dorky
dorms
dormy
dorps
dorrs
dorsa
dorse
dorsi
dorts
dorty
dural
duras
durax
dured
duree
dures
duret
durgy
durns
duroc
duros
duroy
durra
durrs
durry
durst
durum
duryl
durzi
eards
eared
earls
early
earns
earsh
earst
earth
ecrus
eerie
egret
egrid
enray
enrib
enrol
enrut
eorls
epris
erred
erron
error
esrog
etrog
euros
eurus
eyrar
eyras
eyren
eyrer
eyres
eyrie
eyrir
farad
farce
farci
farcy
farde
fardh
fardo
fards
fared
farer
fares
fario
farle
farls
farms
farmy
faros
farse
farth
farts
feral
ferer
feres
feria
ferie
ferio
ferly
ferme
fermi
ferms
ferns
ferny
ferox
ferry
ferth
fgrid
fhrer
firca
fired
firer
fires
firie
firks
firma
firms
firns
firry
first
firth
flrie
foram
foray
forbs
forby
force
forcy
fordo
fords
fordy
forel
fores
foret
forex
forge
forgo
forks
forky
forma
forme
forms
formy
forra
forte
forth
forts
forty
forum
forza
forze
fural
furan
furca
furil
furls
furol
furor
furrs
furry
furth
furyl
furze
furzy
fyrds
garad
garau
garbe
garbo
garbs
garce
garda
garde
gareh
garis
garle
garni
garon
garoo
garre
garse
garth
garua
garum
gerah
gerbe
gerbo
geres
gerim
gerip
gerle
germs
germy
gerne
girba
girds
girja
girls
girly
girns
girny
giron
giros
girrs
girse
girsh
girth
girts
goral
goras
gorce
gored
gorer
gores
gorge
goric
goris
gorki
gorms
gormy
gorps
gorra
gorry
gorse
gorst
gorsy
grrls
grrrl
gurdy
gurge
gurle
gurls
gurly
gurns
gurry
gursh
gurts
gurus
gyral
gyred
gyres
gyric
gyron
gyros
gyrus
haram
haras
harbi
hards
hardy
hared
harem
hares
harim
harka
harks
harls
harms
harns
haros
harps
harpy
harre
harry
harsh
harst
harts
herba
herbs
herby
herds
herem
heres
herls
herma
hermi
herms
herne
herns
heron
heros
herry
herse
hertz
herye
hired
hiree
hiren
hirer
hires
hirse
horae
horah
horal
horas
horde
horis
horla
horme
horns
horny
horry
horse
horst
horsy
hurds
hurls
hurly
huron
hurra
hurry
hurst
hurts
hyrax
hyrse
hyrst
ibrik
idryl
ifree
ifrit
ihram
inrol
inrub
inrun
iortn
irred
ivray
jarde
jarks
jarls
jarps
jarra
jarry
jarta
jarul
jarvy
jerez
jerib
jerid
jerks
jerky
jerry
jirds
jirga
jirre
joram
joree
jorum
jural
jurat
jurel
juris
juror
karas
karat
karbi
karch
karez
karks
karma
karns
karoo
karos
karou
karri
karst
karsy
karts
karzy
kerat
kerbs
kerch
kerel
kerfs
kerky
kerma
kerne
kerns
keros
kerry
kerve
kirby
kirks
kirns
kirri
kirve
korai
koras
korat
korea
korec
kores
korin
korma
koros
korun
korus
kuris
kurre
kurta
kurus
kyrie
larch
lards
lardy
laree
lares
large
largo
largy
larid
larin
laris
larix
larks
larky
larns
laron
larum
larva
larve
lered
leres
lerot
lerps
liras
lirks
lirot
loral
loran
lords
lordy
lored
lorel
lores
loric
loris
loros
lorry
lorum
lural
lurch
lured
lurer
lures
lurex
lurgi
lurgy
lurid
lurks
lurky
lurry
lurve
lyres
lyric
lyrid
marae
marah
maral
maras
maray
march
marcs
mardi
mardy
mares
marge
margs
maria
marid
marka
marks
marle
marli
marls
marly
marms
marok
maron
maror
maros
marri
marry
marse
marsh
marts
marvy
merch
mercs
mercy
merde
mered
merel
merer
meres
merge
mergh
meril
meris
merit
merks
merle
merls
merop
meros
merry
merse
mired
mires
mirex
mirid
mirin
mirks
mirky
mirly
miros
mirth
mirvs
mirza
morae
moral
moras
morat
moray
mordu
morel
mores
morga
moria
moric
morin
mormo
morne
morns
moroc
moron
moror
morph
morra
morro
morse
morth
morts
mpret
mural
muras
mured
mures
murex
murga
murid
murks
murky
murls
murly
murra
murre
murri
murrs
murry
murti
murva
murza
myrrh
naras
narco
narcs
nards
nardu
nares
naric
naris
narks
narky
narre
neral
nerds
nerdy
nerka
nerks
nerol
nerts
nertz
nerve
nervy
niris
nirls
nirly
noria
norie
noris
norit
norks
norma
norms
norna
norsk
north
nurds
nurdy
nurls
nurly
nurrs
nurry
nurse
nursy
oared
oaric
ocrea
ogres
okras
okrug
omrah
oorie
orris
orrow
ourie
owres
owrie
parae
parah
param
parao
paras
parch
parde
pardi
pards
pardy
pared
parel
pareo
parer
pares
pareu
parev
parge
pargo
paris
parka
parki
parks
parky
parle
parli
parly
parol
parps
parra
parrs
parry
parse
parsi
parte
parti
parto
parts
party
parus
parve
parvo
perai
perau
perca
perce
perch
perdu
perdy
perea
peres
peril
peris
perit
perks
perky
perms
perns
perps
perry
perse
perst
perts
perty
perve
pervs
pervy
pirai
pirls
pirns
pirny
pirog
pirol
pirot
porae
poral
porch
pored
porer
pores
poret
porge
porgo
porgy
poria
porks
porky
porno
porns
porny
poros
porry
porta
porto
ports
porty
porus
purau
purda
pured
puree
purer
pures
purey
purga
purge
purim
purin
puris
purls
purpy
purre
purrs
purry
purse
pursy
purty
pyral
pyran
pyres
pyrex
pyric
pyros
pyrus
qorma
qursh
rared
raree
rarer
rares
rarks
reran
reree
rerig
rerob
rerow
rerub
rerun
rfree
roral
rores
roric
rorid
rorie
rorts
rorty
rural
rurps
rurus
saraf
saran
sards
sared
saree
sarge
sargo
sarif
sarin
sarip
saris
sarks
sarky
sarna
sarod
saron
saros
sarpo
sarra
sarsa
sarum
sarus
scrab
scrae
scrag
scram
scran
scrap
scrat
scraw
scray
scree
screw
scrim
scrin
scrip
scrit
scrob
scrod
scrog
scroo
scrow
scrub
scruf
scrum
serab
serac
serai
seral
serau
seraw
sered
sereh
serer
seres
serfs
serge
sergt
seric
serif
serin
serio
serks
sermo
seron
serow
serra
serre
serrs
serry
serta
serum
serut
serve
servo
sfree
shrab
shraf
shrag
shram
shrap
shred
shree
shrew
shrip
shris
shrog
shrow
shrub
shrug
sired
siree
siren
sires
sirex
sirih
siris
sirki
sirky
siroc
sirop
siros
sirra
sirup
skran
skrik
smrgs
soral
soras
sorbo
sorbs
sorda
sordo
sords
sored
soree
sorel
sorer
sores
sorex
sorgo
sorns
sorra
sorry
sorta
sorts
sorty
sorus
sorva
sprad
sprag
sprat
spray
spred
spree
spret
sprew
sprig
sprit
sprod
sprog
sprot
sprue
sprug
strad
strae
strag
strak
stram
strap
straw
stray
stree
strep
stret
strew
strey
stria
strid
strig
strim
strip
strit
strix
strom
strop
strow
stroy
strub
strue
strum
strut
struv
surah
sural
suras
surat
surds
sured
surer
sures
surfs
surfy
surge
surgy
surly
surma
surra
syrah
syren
syria
syrma
syrup
syrus
taraf
taras
tarau
tarde
tardo
tardy
tarea
tared
tares
tarfa
targa
targe
tarie
tarin
tarns
taroc
tarok
taros
tarot
tarps
tarre
tarri
tarry
tarse
tarsi
tarte
tarts
tarty
tarve
terai
terap
teras
terce
terek
teres
tereu
terfe
terfs
terga
terma
terms
terna
terne
terns
terra
terre
terry
terse
terts
terzo
thrae
thram
thrap
thraw
three
threw
thrid
thrip
throb
throe
throu
throw
thrum
thruv
tiraz
tired
tirer
tires
tirls
tirma
tiros
tirrs
tirve
torah
toral
toran
toras
torch
torcs
tored
tores
toret
toric
torii
torma
toros
torot
torrs
torse
torsi
torsk
torso
torta
torte
torts
torus
torve
turbo
turco
turds
turfs
turfy
turgy
turio
turki
turks
turma
turme
turms
turns
turps
turse
turus
turvy
tyran
tyred
tyres
tyros
ugric
umrah
umras
unram
unray
unred
unrid
unrig
unrip
unrow
unrun
upran
uprid
uprip
uprun
utrum
uvres
uvrou
varan
varas
vardy
varec
vares
varia
vario
varix
varna
varus
varve
veray
verbs
verby
verde
verek
verey
verge
vergi
verra
verre
verry
versa
verse
verso
verst
verts
vertu
verty
verus
verve
viral
vired
vireo
vires
virga
virge
virgo
virid
virls
viron
virtu
virus
voraz
warbs
warby
warch
wards
wared
wares
warez
warks
warly
warms
warns
warnt
warps
warre
warse
warst
warth
warts
warty
warve
weren
weros
wersh
wired
wirer
wires
wirra
words
wordy
works
worky
world
worms
wormy
worry
worse
worst
worth
worts
wurly
wurst
xeres
xeric
xerox
xerus
xurel
xyrid
yaray
yarco
yards
yarer
yarfa
yarke
yarks
yarly
yarns
yarrs
yarry
yarta
yarth
yarto
ydrad
ydred
yerba
yerds
yerks
yerth
yerva
yirds
yirks
yirrs
yirth
yores
yorks
yorps
yurta
yurts
zarfs
zaris
zerda
zerks
zeros
zirai
ziram
zoril
zoris
zorro
zurfs

Middle Patterns You Will See with R as the Third Letter

Most words in this group follow a handful of middle patterns. AR gives PARTY, LARGE and MARCH; OR gives WORLD, NORTH and WORKS; IR gives FIRST, GIRLS and BIRTH; ER gives TERMS, SERVE and VERSE; HR gives THREE and THROW. Learning them lets you jump from the third letter to a short list of likely words.

Useful five-letter words

FIRST, WORLD, THREE, PARTY and EARLY are the entries you are most likely to meet in a puzzle. NORTH, LARGE and MARCH are worth keeping in reserve.

FIRST
WORLD
THREE
PARTY
EARLY

A Smart Way to Use the Middle Letter

A vowel in the second box, usually A, O, I or E, is the first thing to test, because vowel plus R is behind most of these words. T, D, K and S in the fourth box are the common follow ups, as in PARTY, WORLD, WORKS and FIRST. Once the middle is settled, spend your next guesses on the first and last boxes, where the remaining choices are made.

Playing These Words in Scrabble

In Scrabble, R is worth one point, so it is easy to play but adds little to a score on its own. Keeping a few words in mind, such as FIRST, WORLD and THREE, makes it easier to use the tile when it turns up on your rack.

Frequently asked questions

Why do so many words with R as the third letter have a vowel before it

R is a smooth letter that pairs easily with vowels, producing AR, OR, IR, ER and UR combinations. That is why FIRST, WORLD, PARTY and EARLY all share the pattern.

Is R a common third letter in five letter words

R is one of the most common third letters in five letter words. Knowing the usual middle patterns is more helpful than guessing blindly.

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

FIRST, WORLD and THREE are good places to start, because they are familiar and spread across different letters. PARTY and EARLY make good follow ups.