Words Ending in ABLE: English's Most Productive Suffix
The -ABLE suffix might be the hardest-working ending in the language. Slap it onto almost any verb and you create an adjective: READ becomes READABLE, BREAK becomes BREAKABLE, WASH becomes WASHABLE. Over 1,600 words use this pattern, and new ones get coined constantly — GOOGLEABLE and BINGEABLE are recent additions to informal usage. The suffix comes from Latin -ABILIS, meaning "capable of being," and it entered English through Old French around the 12th century.
There's a spelling trap here that catches even good writers: when do you use -ABLE versus -IBLE? The rough rule is that -ABLE attaches to complete English words (COMFORTABLE, ENJOYABLE) while -IBLE attaches to Latin roots that aren't standalone words in English (POSSIBLE, VISIBLE). Not foolproof, but it works most of the time. For Scrabble, -ABLE words are bingo machines. QUOTABLE, SIZEABLE, TRADABLE — these are seven-to-nine-letter plays that clear your rack for the 50-point bonus. The prefix UN- is particularly useful here: UNABLE, UNBEATABLE, UNAVOIDABLE. In crosswords, ABLE itself is a four-letter staple, and AMIABLE, CAPABLE, and NOTABLE show up weekly. Think about pairing -ABLE knowledge with words starting with Q for QUOTABLE, or words starting with M for MANAGEABLE and MEMORABLE.
FAQ
When do you drop the E before adding -ABLE?
Usually drop the silent E: LOVE becomes LOVABLE, DESIRE becomes DESIRABLE. But keep the E after soft C or G: NOTICEABLE, CHANGEABLE — the E preserves the soft consonant sound. LIKEABLE/LIKABLE are both accepted. This spelling rule matters in Scrabble where only the correct form is valid. See words starting with N for NOTICEABLE and related words.
What high-scoring -ABLE words work well in Scrabble?
EQUABLE (18 points), MIXABLE (18 points), and SIZEABLE (19 points) top the list thanks to high-value tiles. QUOTABLE uses the Q effectively at 19 points. Most -ABLE words score 12-16 points base but earn their real value through bingo bonuses. Explore words starting with X for other premium-tile strategies.
Is -ABLE or -IBLE more common in English?
-ABLE is far more common — roughly 900 -ABLE words versus 200 -IBLE words in a standard dictionary. -ABLE is also the "living" suffix, meaning new words almost always use -ABLE (streamable, clickable). -IBLE is basically a closed set that stopped growing centuries ago. For another common suffix comparison, check words starting with L where -LESS and -LIKE compete.
Four-Letter Words (1)
ABLE
Five-Letter Words (5)
CABLEFABLEGABLESABLETABLE
Six-Letter Words (10)
ARABLEDOABLEDYABLEENABLELIABLESTABLESUABLEUNABLEUSABLEVIABLE
Seven-Letter Words (82)
ACTABLEADDABLEAFFABLEAMIABLEBITABLEBUYABLECAPABLECITABLECODABLECURABLEDATABLEDISABLEDOWABLEDRYABLEDUPABLEDURABLEDYEABLEEATABLEEFFABLEEQUABLEERRABLEEYEABLEFADABLEFINABLEFIXABLEFLYABLEFRIABLEFRYABLEGELABLEGETABLEHATABLEHEWABLEHIDABLEHIRABLELIKABLELINABLELIVABLELOSABLELOVABLEMAKABLEMINABLEMIXABLEMOVABLEMUTABLENAMABLENOTABLEOWNABLEPARABLEPAYABLEPLIABLEPOKABLEPOSABLEPOTABLERATABLERETABLERIDABLEROPABLEROWABLERULABLESALABLESAVABLESAYABLESEEABLESEWABLESIZABLESKIABLESOWABLETAKABLETAMABLETAXABLETENABLETOTABLETOWABLETRIABLETUNABLETYPABLEUSEABLEVOCABLEVOTABLEWADABLEWAXABLEWIRABLE
Eight-Letter Words (287)
ABATABLEABUSABLEADORABLEAGITABLEALLIABLEAMENABLEAMICABLEAMUSABLEARGUABLEATONABLEAVOWABLEBAILABLEBANKABLEBANNABLEBARRABLEBEARABLEBEATABLEBEDDABLEBENDABLEBIDDABLEBILLABLEBINDABLEBITEABLEBLAMABLEBOATABLEBOILABLEBOMBABLEBONDABLEBOOKABLEBOOTABLEBRIBABLEBUFFABLEBURNABLECALLABLECARTABLECASCABLECASHABLECASTABLECAUSABLECHEWABLECITEABLECLOSABLECLUBABLECOINABLECOOKABLECOPYABLECULPABLECURBABLECUTTABLEDAMNABLEDATEABLEDENIABLEDIMMABLEDIPPABLEDRAPABLEDRAWABLEDRIVABLEDUTIABLEEDITABLEEDUCABLEENVIABLEERASABLEERODABLEEVADABLEEVITABLEEVOCABLEEXILABLEEXORABLEEXPIABLEFACEABLEFARMABLEFEEDABLEFELLABLEFILEABLEFILLABLEFILMABLEFINDABLEFINEABLEFIREABLEFISHABLEFITTABLEFOAMABLEFOILABLEFOLDABLEFORDABLEFORMABLEFRAMABLEFURLABLEGAINABLEGETTABLEGIFTABLEGIVEABLEGNAWABLEGRADABLEGRAZABLEGROWABLEGUIDABLEGULLABLEGUSTABLEHACKABLE
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Nine-Letter Words (344)
ABDICABLEABRADABLEABROGABLEACCRUABLEACCUSABLEADAPTABLEADHERABLEADMIRABLEADOPTABLEADVISABLEAFFIXABLEAGREEABLEALARMABLEALIENABLEALLOCABLEALLOWABLEALTERABLEAMASSABLEAMENDABLEAPPLIABLEAPPOSABLEAROUSABLEASSAYABLEASSUMABLEASSURABLEATONEABLEAUDITABLEAVAILABLEAVERRABLEAVERTABLEAVOIDABLEAWARDABLEBLAMEABLEBLOCKABLEBLUFFABLEBOARDABLEBOUNDABLEBREAKABLEBROWSABLEBUILDABLECANOEABLECATCHABLECHANTABLECHARTABLECHASEABLECHEATABLECHECKABLECHIPPABLECHOKEABLECLAIMABLECLASSABLECLEANABLECLEARABLECLEAVABLECLICKABLECLIMBABLECLIPPABLECLOSEABLECLUBBABLECOACHABLECOGITABLECOLORABLECONSTABLECOUNTABLECOVERABLECOVETABLECREATABLECROSSABLECRUSHABLEDANCEABLEDEBATABLEDECAYABLEDECIDABLEDEFINABLEDELAYABLEDELEGABLEDELETABLEDEMISABLEDENOTABLEDEPOSABLEDEPUTABLEDERIVABLEDESIRABLEDETONABLEDEVISABLEDILATABLEDISENABLEDIVIDABLEDOUBTABLEDRAFTABLEDRAINABLEDRAPEABLEDRILLABLEDRINKABLEDRIVEABLEDROPPABLEDUBITABLEEJECTABLEELECTABLEEMENDABLE
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Ten-Letter Words (279)
ABOMINABLEABSORBABLEACCEPTABLEACHIEVABLEACQUIRABLEACTIONABLEADJUSTABLEADSORBABLEAFFECTABLEAFFIRMABLEAFFORDABLEAMERCIABLEANALYZABLEANSWERABLEAPPEALABLEAPPEASABLEAPPLICABLEAPPROVABLEARBITRABLEASCENDABLEASCRIBABLEASSAILABLEASSESSABLEASSIGNABLEATTACHABLEATTAINABLEBELIEVABLEBLEACHABLEBREATHABLEBRIDGEABLECALCULABLECANCELABLECENSURABLECHANGEABLECHARGEABLECHARITABLECHELATABLECOAGULABLECOGNIZABLECOMBINABLECOMMUTABLECOMPARABLECOMPUTABLECONDONABLECONSUMABLECREDITABLECRUNCHABLECULTIVABLEDECEIVABLEDECLARABLEDECLINABLEDEFENDABLEDEFERRABLEDEFORMABLEDEFRAYABLEDEGRADABLEDELECTABLEDEMANDABLEDEPENDABLEDEPLETABLEDEPLORABLEDEPLOYABLEDEPORTABLEDESPICABLEDETACHABLEDETECTABLEDETERRABLEDETESTABLEDIALYZABLEDISLIKABLEDISPOSABLEDISPUTABLEDISYLLABLEEFFACEABLEEMBOSSABLEEMPLOYABLEENCASHABLEENDORSABLEENUMERABLEENUNCIABLEERADICABLEEXAMINABLEEXCLUDABLEEXECUTABLEEXPANDABLEEXPECTABLEEXPELLABLEEXPENDABLEEXPLICABLEEXPORTABLEEXTENDABLEEXTRICABLEEXTRUDABLEFACTORABLEFATHOMABLEFILTERABLEFORGIVABLEFORMIDABLEGOVERNABLEHANDLEABLE
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Eleven-Letter Words (230)
ABOLISHABLEACCOUNTABLEADDRESSABLEALLOCATABLEAMORTIZABLEAPPLAUDABLEAPPRECIABLEARTICULABLEASSIMILABLEATTEMPTABLEAUTOMATABLECANCELLABLECERTIFIABLECHERISHABLECOLLECTABLECOMFORTABLECOMMANDABLECOMMENDABLECOMMITTABLECOMPASSABLECOMPELLABLECOMPENSABLECONCEALABLECONCEIVABLECONDEMNABLECONDENSABLECONFERRABLECONFESSABLECONFIRMABLECONFISCABLECONFORMABLECONNECTABLECONSIGNABLECONSTRUABLECONTAINABLECONTESTABLECONVERSABLECORRECTABLEDEFLECTABLEDELIVERABLEDEMOUNTABLEDENUMERABLEDEPRECIABLEDESCRIBABLEDETONATABLEDEVELOPABLEDIAGNOSABLEDISAVOWABLEDISCARDABLEDISCERNABLEDISCUSSABLEDISLIKEABLEDISPENSABLEDISPLAYABLEDISPROVABLEDISSOCIABLEDISSOLVABLEDISSYLLABLEEMBRACEABLEENFORCEABLEENLARGEABLEESCHEATABLEEXERCISABLEEXPLAINABLEEXPLOITABLEEXTRACTABLEFALSIFIABLEFASHIONABLEFERMENTABLEFISSIONABLEFORESEEABLEFORFEITABLEFORGETTABLEHARVESTABLEILLIMITABLEILLUMINABLEIMMEDICABLEIMMITIGABLEIMPEACHABLEIMPERMEABLEIMPLANTABLEIMPREGNABLEINADVISABLEINALIENABLEINALTERABLEINCREASABLEINDEFINABLEINDOMITABLEINDUBITABLEINELUCTABLEINENARRABLEINEQUITABLEINESCAPABLEINESTIMABLEINEXCUSABLEINFLAMMABLEINFLECTABLEINHABITABLEINHERITABLEINNUMERABLE
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Twelve-Letter Words (180)
ABSTRACTABLEACCREDITABLEAGGLUTINABLEAPPROACHABLEAPPROPRIABLEATTRIBUTABLEBIOAVAILABLECIRCULATABLECLASSIFIABLECOMMUNICABLECOMPOUNDABLECONSCIONABLECONSIDERABLECONTRASTABLECONTROLLABLECORRELATABLECRITICIZABLECULTIVATABLEDECASYLLABLEDECIPHERABLEDECOMPOSABLEDEMONSTRABLEDETERMINABLEDIAGNOSEABLEDIAGRAMMABLEDIMINISHABLEDISAGREEABLEDISCOUNTABLEDISCOVERABLEDISHONORABLEDISPLACEABLEDISREPUTABLEDISTRACTABLEDISTRAINABLEDOCUMENTABLEDOWNLOADABLEDRAMATIZABLEEMULSIFIABLEEQUIPROBABLEEXCHANGEABLEEXTRADITABLEFERTILIZABLEFORECASTABLEFORMALIZABLEHYDROLYZABLEHYPERMUTABLEHYPNOTIZABLEIDENTIFIABLEIMMEASURABLEIMMENSURABLEIMPENETRABLEIMPERISHABLEIMPONDERABLEINAPPEASABLEINAPPLICABLEINCALCULABLEINCOMMUTABLEINCOMPARABLEINCOMPUTABLEINCONSOLABLEINCONSUMABLEINCORPORABLEINDECLINABLEINDISPUTABLEINEFFACEABLEINERADICABLEINEXPLICABLEINEXPUGNABLEINEXTRICABLEINHOSPITABLEINSUFFERABLEINTERMINABLEINVULNERABLEIRREDEEMABLEIRREFORMABLEIRREFRAGABLEIRREMEDIABLEIRREPEALABLEIRRESOLVABLEJETTISONABLEMAGNETIZABLEMAINTAINABLEMANEUVERABLEMARRIAGEABLEMECHANIZABLEMERCHANTABLEMICROWAVABLEMONOSYLLABLENONBREAKABLENONCRUSHABLENONFLAMMABLENONMALLEABLENONRENEWABLENONREPAYABLENORMALIZABLEOCTOSYLLABLEPHOTOLYZABLEPOLYSYLLABLEPRECIPITABLEPROGRAMMABLE
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Thirteen-Letter Words (114)
ADMINISTRABLEANTICIPATABLEAPPORTIONABLEASCERTAINABLEBIODEGRADABLECOMMENSURABLECOMPANIONABLECONDITIONABLECONFISCATABLECOPYRIGHTABLEDISCHARGEABLEDISCIPLINABLEDISCREDITABLEDISCRIMINABLEEMBARRASSABLEESTABLISHABLEEXCEPTIONABLEGENERALIZABLEGRAPHITIZABLEIMPERCEIVABLEIMPERTURBABLEIMPRACTICABLEINAPPRECIABLEINCONCEIVABLEINCONTESTABLEINDEFATIGABLEINDESCRIBABLEINDISPENSABLEINDISSOCIABLEINEXPLAINABLEINFLUENCEABLEINSUPPORTABLEINTEROPERABLEINTERPRETABLEIRRECLAIMABLEIRRECOVERABLEIRREPLACEABLEIRRETRIEVABLEKNOWLEDGEABLEMANIPULATABLEMETABOLIZABLEMICROFILMABLEMICROWAVEABLEMINERALIZABLEMULTIVARIABLENONABSORBABLENONCANCELABLENONCOMPARABLENONDEFERRABLENONDEGRADABLENONDEPLETABLENONDETACHABLENONDIALYZABLENONEXPENDABLENONFILTERABLENONMEASURABLENONNEGOTIABLENONPERISHABLENONRECYCLABLENONREFILLABLENONREFUNDABLENONRETURNABLENONSHRINKABLEOBJECTIONABLEPARAPHRASABLEPRONOUNCEABLERECOMMENDABLEREINFORCEABLEREPLENISHABLEREPRESENTABLESEMIPERMEABLESUBSTITUTABLETRANSFERRABLETRANSFORMABLETRANSMITTABLETRANSPORTABLEULTRARELIABLEUNACCOUNTABLEUNASSIMILABLEUNASSUAGEABLEUNCOMFORTABLEUNCONCEIVABLEUNCONFORMABLEUNCONQUERABLEUNCONTAINABLEUNCORRECTABLEUNDELIVERABLEUNDESCRIBABLEUNDIAGNOSABLEUNENFORCEABLEUNEXPLAINABLEUNFALSIFIABLEUNFASHIONABLEUNFORESEEABLEUNFORGETTABLEUNFULFILLABLEUNIMPEACHABLEUNINHABITABLEUNJUSTIFIABLEUNMENTIONABLE
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Fourteen-Letter Words (58)
ACCOMPLISHABLECAMOUFLAGEABLECOMPUTERIZABLECONTRADICTABLECRYSTALLIZABLEDIAGONALIZABLEDIFFERENTIABLEDISCOMFORTABLEDISCOURAGEABLEDISRESPECTABLEDISSERVICEABLEEXTINGUISHABLEHYPEREXCITABLEHYPERIRRITABLEIMPRESSIONABLEINAPPROACHABLEINCOMMUNICABLEINCONSIDERABLEINCONTROLLABLEINDECIPHERABLEINDECOMPOSABLEINDEMONSTRABLEINDETERMINABLEINDISCOVERABLEINSURMOUNTABLEIRRECONCILABLEIRREPROACHABLENONACCOUNTABLENONCONDENSABLENONFISSIONABLENONFORFEITABLENONINFLAMMABLENONJUSTICIABLENONPOLARIZABLEPROPORTIONABLERATIONALIZABLEREDISCOUNTABLEREPROGRAMMABLESUPERIMPOSABLETHERMOFORMABLETRANSPLANTABLEUNAPPROACHABLEUNATTRIBUTABLEUNCLASSIFIABLEUNCOMMUNICABLEUNCONSCIONABLEUNCONTROLLABLEUNDECIPHERABLEUNDERSTANDABLEUNDETERMINABLEUNDISCOVERABLEUNIDENTIFIABLEUNPROGRAMMABLEUNQUANTIFIABLEUNQUESTIONABLEUNRECOGNIZABLEUNRECONCILABLEUNTRANSLATABLE
Fifteen-Letter Words (22)
ANTIFASHIONABLEDISTINGUISHABLEHENDECASYLLABLEHYPERCOAGULABLEIMMUNOASSAYABLEINCOMMENSURABLEINDISCIPLINABLEINTERCHANGEABLENONCONTROLLABLENONQUANTIFIABLENONSAPONIFIABLENONSEDIMENTABLENONTRANSFERABLEPHOTODEGRADABLEUNCATEGORIZABLEUNCHALLENGEABLEUNCOMPROMISABLEUNCOPYRIGHTABLEUNEXCEPTIONABLEUNKNOWLEDGEABLEUNOBJECTIONABLEUNPRONOUNCEABLE