Scrabble word checker: is it a valid word?
To check a Scrabble word in the US or Canada, type it into the free Merriam-Webster word finder, or use NASPA Word Judge for a tournament-style ruling. Both are free. We do not run a checker of our own, because the official word lists are licensed. This page shows you where to check, which list applies and how to settle a dispute at the table.
Where do I check a Scrabble word?
Use the Merriam-Webster word finder for a quick answer and NASPA Word Judge when you want the official tournament list. Both sites are free to use.
- Merriam-Webster Scrabble Word Finder: type a word of up to 15 letters and it says whether it is playable, with a short definition. Add up to two question marks to stand in for blank tiles. The site calls itself the home of the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.
- NASPA Word Judge: the tool used for tournament rulings. Pick the lexicon (NWL2023 is the default), enter how many words are challenged, then type them in. It gives one ruling, which is acceptable only if every word entered is acceptable.
- Collins Scrabble Check: only useful if you play with the Collins list, which is used outside North America.
Playing a friend in the UK? Send them our UK word checker guide, because their list is different.
Which word list applies?
The US and Canada use the NASPA Word List 2023, called NWL2023. It has been the official list since February 29, 2024. Most of the rest of the world uses Collins Scrabble Words, so some words are valid in one list and not the other.
| Word list | Who uses it | Where to check it |
|---|---|---|
| NASPA Word List 2023 (NWL2023) | The United States and Canada, for club and tournament play | NASPA Word Judge, or the Merriam-Webster word finder |
| Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD) | Family play in North America. NWL2023 contains every word in the seventh edition, plus words left out of the book, such as offensive words. | The printed dictionary, or the Merriam-Webster word finder |
| Collins Scrabble Words 2024 (CSW24) | The UK and most other countries outside North America | Collins Scrabble Check |
| Any dictionary your table agrees on | Family games, as long as you agree before the first tile is played | The dictionary itself |
Our rules guide explains the lists in more detail, and our two-letter words page shows all 107 NWL2023 short words.
How do challenges work at home?
Challenge before the next player starts their turn, and look the word up only after the challenge is made. In NASPA tournaments in the US and Canada, a player who challenges a valid word loses their next turn. Home games usually do the same.
- Agree your checker before you play. NASPA Word Judge with NWL2023 selected is the closest match to tournament play.
- A player says "challenge" straight after the play is made.
- One person types every word the play formed into the checker, spelled exactly as it sits on the board.
- If any word is not valid, the whole play comes off the board and the player loses the turn.
- If every word is valid, the challenger loses their next turn.
You can relax this at home. Our house rules page lists variations such as an open dictionary and no penalty for challenges, and the challenges section of our rules guide has the full procedure.
Which words cause the most arguments?
The same five groups cause most disputes: plurals, names, abbreviations, accents and slang. The Scrabble rules and the word list settle each one.
- Plurals and other forms: any word in the agreed list is allowed, including plurals and other forms of a word. Type the exact form you played, because the checker does not guess.
- Names: words that are only spelled with an initial capital letter are not allowed. Word Judge rules LONDON not acceptable, while JACK is acceptable because it is also an ordinary word.
- Abbreviations: abbreviations are not allowed, and Word Judge rules TV not acceptable. A few short forms are words in their own right, such as OK, so check before you decide.
- Accents: the tiles carry no accents, so you play a word as plain letters. Word Judge accepts CAFE.
- Slang and new words: each new list adds words. Word Judge accepts YEET, EMOJI and TWERK under NWL2023 but rules RIZZ not acceptable, so check slang in the checker instead of arguing from memory.
Learning the short words ends many arguments early. See our guides to two-letter words, Q words without U and J, Q, X and Z words.
Common questions
Is QI a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. The Merriam-Webster word finder says QI is a playable word, and NASPA Word Judge accepts it under NWL2023. It is the only two-letter word with Q.
Is ZA a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. The Merriam-Webster word finder lists ZA as a playable word that means a pizza, and Word Judge accepts it under NWL2023.
Is OK a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. OK is playable in the Merriam-Webster word finder and is accepted by Word Judge under NWL2023. It was one of the new words added in 2018 and is an exception to the rule against abbreviations.
Is EW a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. The Merriam-Webster word finder says EW is playable, as an interjection used to express disgust, and Word Judge accepts it under NWL2023.
Is IRREGARDLESS a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. The Merriam-Webster word finder says IRREGARDLESS is playable, and Word Judge accepts it under NWL2023, even though many people dislike the word.
Is CH a valid Scrabble word?
Not in the US list. NASPA Word Judge rules CH not acceptable under NWL2023. It is valid in Collins, the list used in the UK, so a British player may insist that it is a word.
Is TV a valid Scrabble word?
No. NASPA Word Judge rules TV not acceptable under NWL2023, and the Scrabble rules do not allow abbreviations. Check unusual short forms first, because a few, like OK, are valid words.
Why do you not have a word checker on this site?
The official word lists are licensed, so we link to the official and free checkers instead of copying a list.