English Words With No Vowels (That Are Scrabble Legal)

English uses five primary vowels (A, E, I, O, U), but a small collection of legitimate English words contain none of them. These words typically use Y, W, or consonant clusters borrowed from Welsh or other languages to create syllabic sounds without traditional vowels.

Valid Scrabble Words With No Vowels

CRWTH (5 letters, 11 points) is an ancient Celtic string instrument. CWMS (4 letters, 9 points) is the plural of CWM, a bowl-shaped hollow in a mountainside. GLYPH (5 letters, 14 points) is a carved symbol or figure. MYRRH (5 letters, 12 points) is an aromatic resin. NYMPH (5 letters, 15 points) is a mythological spirit of nature.

Shorter No-Vowel Words

CWM (3 letters, 8 points) is valuable in Scrabble for its high-scoring letters in a short word. SHH (3 letters, 9 points) is a plea for silence. BRR (3 letters, 7 points) expresses cold. PHT and NTH are also valid. LYNX (4 letters, 14 points) uses Y as a vowel sound.

Y as a Vowel

Many "vowel-less" words actually use Y as a vowel sound. GYM, CRY, FRY, FLY, SPY, TRY, WHY, and hundreds of others use Y where a standard vowel would normally appear. Whether Y counts as a vowel depends on your definition, but these words are all excellent Scrabble plays.