5 Letter Words With U in the Middle

1,011 5 letter words with u in the middle, listed strongest first, so the top of the list is the part that matters on a live board.

1,011 words fit with U in the middle, which is more room than a green square usually leaves. ABUSE, ACUTE, ADULT come first, and 164 can still be the answer, shown in green.

1,011 words is more than anyone holds in their head. 164 of them can be the answer, and ABUSE is the one to try first.

Best First Guesses

With 1,011 words to get through, the first guess decides most of the round. Each one below is on this list, so it could be the answer outright, and the number beside it is how many words would still be left in the worst case.

CAUSE: takes 1,011 down to 200 at worst. It is on the answer list.
SAUCE: down to 200. It is on the answer list.
TOURS: down to 208.

What These Words Have in Common

S is the ending to expect here, closing 210 of these words. If you need a second letter to test, S (422), A (312) and R (291) appear here more than any others. 62 words out of 1,011 would pass unnoticed in conversation. That thin share is why the letter counts above matter more here than the list itself.

Best 5 Letter Words With U in the Middle

The strongest picks, with answer-list words first.

ABUSE
ACUTE
ADULT
AMUSE
AZURE
BLUER
BLUFF
BLUNT
BLURB
BLURT
BLUSH
BOUGH
BOULE
BOUND
BRUNT
BRUSH
BRUTE
CAULK
CAUSE
CHUCK
CHUMP
CHUNK
CHURN
CHUTE
CLUCK
CLUED
CLUMP
CLUNG
COUCH
COUGH
COULD
COUNT
COUPE
COURT
CRUDE
CRUEL
CRUMB
CRUMP
CRUSH
CRUST
DAUNT
DEUCE
DOUBT
DOUGH
DRUID
DRUNK
ELUDE
EQUAL
EQUIP
ERUPT
ETUDE
EXULT
FAULT
FAUNA
FLUFF
FLUID
FLUKE
FLUME
FLUNG
FLUNK
FLUSH
FLUTE
FOUND
FRUIT
GAUDY
GAUGE
GAUNT
GAUZE
GOUGE
GOURD
GRUEL
GRUFF
GRUNT
HAUNT
HAUTE
HOUND
HOUSE
JAUNT
JOUST
LAUGH
LOUSE
LOUSY
MAUVE
MOULT
MOUND
MOUNT
MOURN
MOUSE
MOUTH
PAUSE
PLUCK
PLUMB
PLUME
PLUMP
PLUNK
PLUSH
POUCH
POUND
POUTY
PRUDE
PRUNE
REUSE
ROUGE
ROUGH
ROUND
ROUSE
ROUTE
SAUCE
SAUCY
SAUNA
SAUTE
SCUBA
SHUCK
SHUNT
SHUSH
SKULK
SKULL
SKUNK
SLUMP
SLUNG
SLUNK
SLURP
SLUSH
SNUCK
SNUFF
SOUND
SOUTH
SPURN
SPURT
SQUAD
SQUAT
SQUIB
STUCK
STUDY
STUFF
STUMP
STUNG
STUNK
STUNT
SWUNG
TAUNT
THUMB
THUMP
TOUCH
TOUGH
TRUCE
TRUCK
TRUER
TRULY
TRUMP

5 Letter Words With U in the Middle by Starting Letter

5 Letter Words Starting with A with U as the 3rd Letter

ABUSE
ACUTE
ADULT
AMUSE
AZURE
ABUNA
ABUNE
ABURA
ABURN
ABUSH
ABUTA
ABUTS
ABUZZ
ACUAN
ADUKI
ADUNC
ADURE
ADUSK
ADUST
AGUED
AGUES
AGUEY
AGUNA
AGURA
AGUSH
AGUST
AGUTI
AHULL
AHUNT
AHURA
AHURU
AHUSH
AJUGA
AJUPA
AKULE
AKUND
ALUCO
ALULA
ALUMS
ALUMY
ALURE
ALURK
ALUTA
AMUCK
AMULA
AMUZE
ANURA
ANURY
AOUAD
AQUAE
AQUAS
ARUAC
ARUHE
ARUKE
ARULO
ARUMS
ARUPA
ARUSA
ASURA
ASURI
ATUAS
ATULE
ATUNE
AYUYU
AZUKI
AZURN
AZURY

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with A

5 Letter Words Starting with B with U as the 3rd Letter

BLUER
BLUFF
BLUNT
BLURB
BLURT
BLUSH
BOUGH
BOULE
BOUND
BRUNT
BRUSH
BRUTE
BLUES
BAUBO
BAUCH
BAUDS
BAUGE
BAUKS
BAULD
BAULK
BAUME
BAUNO
BAURE
BAURS
BAUTA
BHUNA
BHUTS
BIUNE
BLUBS
BLUDE
BLUDS
BLUDY
BLUED
BLUET
BLUEY
BLUID
BLUME
BLUNK
BLURS
BOUCH
BOUCL
BOUET
BOUGE
BOUKS
BOULT
BOUNS
BOURD
BOURG
BOURN
BOURR
BOUSE
BOUSY
BOUTO
BOUTS
BOUTU
BRUBU
BRUCE
BRUCK
BRUET
BRUGH
BRUHS
BRUIN
BRUIT
BRUJA
BRUJO
BRUKE
BRULE
BRUME
BRUNE
BRUNG
BRUNO
BRUSK
BRUST
BRUTA
BRUTS
BRUVS
BRUZZ

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with B

5 Letter Words Starting with C with U as the 3rd Letter

CAULK
CAUSE
CHUCK
CHUMP
CHUNK
CHURN
CHUTE
CLUCK
CLUED
CLUMP
CLUNG
COUCH
COUGH
COULD
COUNT
COUPE
COURT
CRUDE
CRUEL
CRUMB
CRUMP
CRUSH
CRUST
CLUBS
CAUCH
CAUDA
CAUKS
CAULD
CAULI
CAULS
CAUMA
CAUMS
CAUPO
CAUPS
CAURI
CAUSA
CHUBB
CHUBS
CHUDE
CHUET
CHUFA
CHUFF
CHUGS
CHUJE
CHUMS
CHUNG
CHURL
CHURM
CHURR
CHUSE
CHUTS
CLUES
CLUEY
CLUFF
CLUNK
COUAC
COUDE
COUMA
COUPS
COURB
COURD
COURE
COURS
COUTA
COUTH
COUVE
CRUCE
CRUCK
CRUDO
CRUDS
CRUDY
CRUES
CRUET
CRUFT
CRULL
CRUNK
CRUNT
CRUOR
CRURA
CRUSE
CRUSY
CRUTH
CRUVE

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with C

5 Letter Words Starting with D with U as the 3rd Letter

DAUNT
DEUCE
DOUBT
DOUGH
DRUID
DRUNK
DRUGS
DRUMS
DAUBE
DAUBS
DAUBY
DAUDS
DAUKE
DAULT
DAURI
DAURS
DAUTS
DHUTI
DIURN
DJUKA
DOUAR
DOUCE
DOUCS
DOUGL
DOUKS
DOULA
DOUMA
DOUMS
DOUPS
DOURA
DOUSE
DOUTS
DRUBS
DRUNG
DRUNT
DRUPA
DRUPE
DRURY
DRUSE
DRUSY
DRUXY
DRUZE

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with D

5 Letter Words Starting with E with U as the 3rd Letter

ELUDE
EQUAL
EQUIP
ERUPT
ETUDE
EXULT
EDUCE
EDUCT
EJUSD
ELUTE
EMULE
EMULS
EMURE
ENURE
ENURN
EPULO
EQUES
EQUID
EQUIV
EQUUS
ERUCA
ERUCT
ERUGO
ERUMP
ERUVS
ETUIS
ETUVE
EXUDE
EXULS
EXURB
EXUST

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with E

5 Letter Words Starting with F with U as the 3rd Letter

FAULT
FAUNA
FLUFF
FLUID
FLUKE
FLUME
FLUNG
FLUNK
FLUSH
FLUTE
FOUND
FRUIT
FAUCH
FAUGH
FAULD
FAULX
FAUNS
FAURD
FAUSE
FAUST
FAUTE
FAUTS
FAUVE
FDUBS
FEUAR
FEUDS
FEUED
FEUTE
FLUBS
FLUED
FLUER
FLUES
FLUEY
FLUKY
FLUMP
FLUOR
FLURN
FLURR
FLURT
FLUSK
FLUTY
FLUYT
FOUAT
FOUDS
FOUER
FOUET
FOULE
FOULS
FOUNT
FOURB
FOURS
FOUTE
FOUTH
FOUTY
FRUGS
FRUMP
FRUSH
FRUST

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with F

5 Letter Words Starting with G with U as the 3rd Letter

GAUDY
GAUGE
GAUNT
GAUZE
GOUGE
GOURD
GRUEL
GRUFF
GRUNT
GAUBY
GAUCH
GAUCY
GAUDS
GAUJE
GAULS
GAULT
GAUMS
GAUMY
GAUPS
GAURA
GAURE
GAURS
GAUSS
GAUZY
GEUMS
GHUSL
GIUST
GLUCK
GLUED
GLUER
GLUES
GLUEY
GLUGG
GLUGS
GLUMA
GLUME
GLUMP
GLUMS
GLUON
GLUTE
GLUTS
GOUCH
GOUDA
GOUDY
GOUKS
GOUMI
GOURA
GOURY
GOUTS
GOUTY
GRUBS
GRUED
GRUES
GRUFE
GRUFT
GRUIS
GRUME
GRUMP
GRUND
GRUSH
GRUSS
GRUYS

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with G

5 Letter Words Starting with H with U as the 3rd Letter

HAUNT
HAUTE
HOUND
HOUSE
HOURS
HAUDS
HAUFS
HAUGH
HAUGO
HAULD
HAULM
HAULS
HAULT
HAUNS
HAUSA
HAUSE
HAUST
HEUAU
HEUCH
HEUGH
HOUFF
HOUFS
HOUGH
HOULT
HOURI
HOUSS
HOUSY
HOUTS
HOUVE
HSUAN

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with H

5 Letter Words Starting with J with U as the 3rd Letter

JAUNT
JOUST
JAUKS
JAUNE
JAUPS
JEUNE
JOUAL
JOUGH
JOUGS
JOUKS
JOULE
JOURN
JOURS

5 Letter Words Starting with K with U as the 3rd Letter

KAUCH
KAUGH
KAURI
KAURU
KAURY
KHUAI
KHUDS
KHULA
KHUZI
KLUCK
KLUGE
KLUNK
KLUTZ
KNUBS
KNULE
KNURL
KNURR
KNURS
KNUTE
KNUTH
KNUTS
KOURA
KOUZA
KRUBI
KRUMP
KRUNK
KYUDO
KYUNG

5 Letter Words Starting with L with U as the 3rd Letter

LAUGH
LOUSE
LOUSY
LAURA
LOUIS
LAUAN
LAUCH
LAUDE
LAUDS
LAUFS
LAUIA
LAUND
LAURE
LAURY
LAUTU
LEUCH
LEUCO
LEUDS
LEUGH
LEUMA
LEUNG
LLUDD
LOUCH
LOUED
LOUEY
LOUGH
LOUIE
LOULU
LOUMA
LOUND
LOUNS
LOUPE
LOUPS
LOURD
LOURE
LOURS
LOURY
LOUTS
LOUTY

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with L

5 Letter Words Starting with M with U as the 3rd Letter

MAUVE
MOULT
MOUND
MOUNT
MOURN
MOUSE
MOUTH
MAUBY
MAUDS
MAUGH
MAUKA
MAULA
MAULS
MAUMS
MAUMY
MAUND
MAUNT
MAURI
MAUSY
MAUTS
MAUVY
MAUZY
MBUBA
MBUBE
MBUGA
MEUMS
MEUNI
MEUSE
MEUTE
MOUCH
MOUDY
MOUES
MOUFS
MOULD
MOULE
MOULS
MOULY
MOUPS
MOUST
MOUSY
MVULA
MVULE
MVULI

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with M

5 Letter Words Starting with N with U as the 3rd Letter

NAUCH
NAUMK
NAUNT
NDUJA
NEUKS
NEUMA
NEUME
NEUMS
NIUAN
NOUGS
NOUJA
NOULD
NOULE
NOULS
NOUNS
NOUNY
NOUPS
NOUST
NYUNG
NYUSE
NYUZE

5 Letter Words Starting with P with U as the 3rd Letter

PAUSE
PLUCK
PLUMB
PLUME
PLUMP
PLUNK
PLUSH
POUCH
POUND
POUTY
PRUDE
PRUNE
PAUAS
PAUKY
PAULA
PAULS
PAUXI
PEUHL
PFUND
PHUBS
PHUTS
PHUTU
PIUMA
PIUMS
PIURI
PIUTE
PLUDS
PLUES
PLUFF
PLUGS
PLUKE
PLUMA
PLUMS
PLUMY
PLUNG
PLUOT
PLUPF
PLUPS
PLUTE
PLUTO
PLUTY
POUCE
POUCY
POUFF
POUFS
POUFY
POUIS
POUKE
POUKS
POULE
POULP
POULT
POUPE
POUPT
POURS
POUSY
POUTS
PRUDY
PRUNO
PRUNT
PRUNY
PRUTA
PUUKO
PYUFF

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with P

5 Letter Words Starting with R with U as the 3rd Letter

REUSE
ROUGE
ROUGH
ROUND
ROUSE
ROUTE
RAULI
RAUNS
RAUPO
REUEL
REUNE
REUPS
RHUMB
ROUEN
ROUES
ROUET
ROUFS
ROUGY
ROUKS
ROUKY
ROULE
ROULS
ROUMS
ROUPS
ROUPY
ROUST
ROUTH
ROUTS
RYUGI

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with R

5 Letter Words Starting with S with U as the 3rd Letter

SAUCE
SAUCY
SAUNA
SAUTE
SCUBA
SHUCK
SHUNT
SHUSH
SKULK
SKULL
SKUNK
SLUMP
SLUNG
SLUNK
SLURP
SLUSH
SNUCK
SNUFF
SOUND
SOUTH
SPURN
SPURT
SQUAD
SQUAT
SQUIB
STUCK
STUDY
STUFF
STUMP
STUNG
STUNK
STUNT
SWUNG
SOULS
SAUBA
SAUCH
SAUDI
SAUGH
SAULD
SAULS
SAULT
SAUNF
SAUNT
SAURA
SAURY
SAUTS
SAUTY
SAUVE
SCUDI
SCUDO
SCUDS
SCUFF
SCUFT
SCUGS
SCULK
SCULL
SCULP
SCULS
SCULT
SCUMS
SCUPS
SCURF
SCURS
SCUSE
SCUTA
SCUTE
SCUTS
SCUZZ
SDUMP
SEUGH
SHUBA
SHUFF
SHULE
SHULN
SHULS
SHUNE
SHUNS
SHURA
SHURE
SHURF
SHUTE
SHUTS
SIUMS
SIUSI
SKUAS
SKUGS
SKULP
SKUSE
SLUBB
SLUBS
SLUED
SLUER
SLUES
SLUFF
SLUGS
SLUIG
SLUIT
SLUMS
SLURB
SLURS
SLUSE
SLUTS
SMUGS
SMURR
SMURS
SMUSE
SMUSH
SMUTS
SNUBS
SNUGS
SNURL
SNURP
SNURT
SNUSH
SOUCE
SOUCT
SOUGH
SOUKS
SOULX
SOULY
SOULZ
SOUMS
SOUPS
SOUPY
SOURD
SOURS
SOURY
SOUSE
SOUTS
SPUDS
SPUED
SPUER
SPUES
SPUGS
SPUKE
SPULE
SPUME
SPUMY
SPUNG
SPUNK
SPURL
SPURS
SPUTA
SPUTE
SQUAB
SQUAM
SQUAW
SQUEE
SQUEG
SQUET

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with S

5 Letter Words Starting with T with U as the 3rd Letter

TAUNT
THUMB
THUMP
TOUCH
TOUGH
TRUCE
TRUCK
TRUER
TRULY
TRUMP
TRUNK
TRUSS
TRUST
TRUTH
TOURS
TAUBE
TAULA
TAULD
TAULI
TAUON
TAUPE
TAUPO
TAURI
TAUTS
TAUTY
TEUCH
TEUGH
THUAN
THUDS
THUGS
THUJA
THULE
THULR
THUND
THUNG
THUNK
THUOC
THURL
THURM
THURT
THUYA
TOUKS
TOULD
TOUNS
TOURN
TOURT
TOUSE
TOUST
TOUSY
TOUTS
TOUZE
TOUZY
TRUBU
TRUDY
TRUED
TRUES
TRUFF
TRUGO
TRUGS
TRULL
TRUSH
TSUBA
TSUBO
TSUGA
TSUMA

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with T

5 Letter Words Starting with U with U as the 3rd Letter

USUAL
USURP
UAUPE
UHURU
ULUHI
ULULU
UNURN
UNUSE
UPUPA
URUBU
URUCU
URUPA
URUTU
USURE
USURY
UVULA

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with U

5 Letter Words Starting with V with U as the 3rd Letter

VAULT
VAUNT
VOUCH
VAUCH
VAUDY
VAUTE
VAUTS
VEUVE
VIUVA
VOUGE
VOULI
VOULU
VOUST

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with V

5 Letter Words Starting with W with U as the 3rd Letter

WOULD
WOUND
WRUNG
WAUCH
WAUFF
WAUGH
WAUKS
WAULK
WAULS
WAUNS
WAURA
WAURS
WAUVE
WHUFF
WHULK
WHUMP
WHUPS
WHUSH
WHUTE
WOUCH
WOUGH

Related: 5 Letter Words Starting with W

5 Letter Words Starting with Y with U as the 3rd Letter

YOUNG
YOUTH
YOURS
YAUDS
YAULD
YAUPS
YEUCH
YEUKS
YEUKY
YOUFF
YOUKS
YOURE
YOURN
YOURT
YOUSE
YOUVE
YOUZE
YQUEM

5 Letter Words Starting with I, O or Z with U as the 3rd Letter

INULA
INURE
INURN
INUST
IZUMI
OCUBY
OCULI
ODUMS
OFURO
OMULS
OVULA
OVULE
ZHUSH
ZHUZH
ZMUDZ
ZOUKS

Less Familiar Words Here

This page carries a lot of words most players would not define. Reading them once is quicker than meeting them cold in a puzzle.

EQUID: Hoofed mammals having slender legs and a flat coat with a narrow mane along the back of the neck.
HOURI: A voluptuously beautiful young woman.
SCURF: A thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the skin.
DOURA: Sorghums of dry regions of Asia and North Africa.
GLUME: Small dry membranous bract found in inflorescences of Gramineae and Cyperaceae.
VAUNT: Show off. It is on the answer list.
ALULA: Tuft of small stiff feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing.
SPUME: Foam or froth on the sea.
ELUTE: Wash out with a solvent, as in chromatography.
BOUSE: Haul with a tackle.
CHURL: A bad-tempered person.
SAURY: Slender long-beaked fish of temperate Atlantic waters.
SCUTE: Large bony or horny plate as on an armadillo or turtle or the underside of a snake.
SOUGH: Make a murmuring sound.
FLUKY: Subject to accident or chance or change.
MAUND: A unit of weight used in Asia; has different values in different countries.
CHUFF: Blow hard and loudly.
CRUET: Bottle that holds wine or oil or vinegar for the table.

FAQs

Can a Wordle answer have U in the middle?

Yes. WOULD, COULD and HOUSE all sit on the Wordle answer list, so the pattern is worth playing for rather than ruling out.

Do any of these use the same letter twice?

Yes. STUFF and TRUST are two of them. Crossing off a letter after one grey square is the quickest way to miss an answer like these.

Is ADUST really a word?

Yes. Burned brown by the sun; – Sir Walter Scott. It is not on the Wordle answer list, so keep it for Scrabble.

Which one has the best chance of just being the answer?

WOULD. It is the most ordinary word here that the answer list carries, so it is the guess to make when you want to win the round rather than learn from it.

Are all of these accepted as guesses?

Yes. Every word on this list is a legal guess, including the ones that look wrong. ZMUDZ and ZHUZH are among them. Only a smaller set sits on the answer list, and those are the ones marked in green.

Which of these would most players overlook?

BLUER, BLURT and BOULE. All three are on the answer list, and none is a word you would reach for early, so they are worth remembering once the obvious guesses run out.

Part of: 5 Letter Words