Words Ending in EF: Brief, Chief, and the Rest
The -EF ending is small but packed with everyday words. BEEF, REEF, BRIEF, CHIEF, GRIEF, THIEF, BELIEF, RELIEF — these are all common enough that you probably don't think of them as sharing a pattern. Then there's the musical side: CLEF (the symbol on a music staff) comes from French for "key." CHEF also entered from French, where it means "head" or "chief" — a CHEF is literally the chief of the kitchen.
Here's a spelling fact that helps in word games: almost every -EF word uses the EE or IE vowel pattern before the F. BEEF, REEF (long E sounds), BRIEF, CHIEF, THIEF (IE pattern). The outliers are DEAF... wait, that ends in -AF. Actually, ALEF (the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet) is one of the few true oddballs with a short vowel. For Scrabble players, CHIEF scores 13 points and THIEF gets 11 — both solid mid-range plays. BELIEF at 11 points uses common tiles. DEF (slang for excellent) is a quick 7-point play. In crosswords, CLEF is a three-letter standby for music clues, and CHEF appears whenever cooking is referenced. For related ending patterns, words ending in H gives similar consonant-final options, and words starting with R provides REEF and RELIEF. Check words starting with P for more short power words.
FAQ
Is ALEF a valid Scrabble word?
Yes — ALEF (also spelled ALEPH) is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is valid in both TWL and SOWPODS. ALEF scores 8 points, while ALEPH scores 10. Both are useful for placing awkward tiles. For more letter-name words, check words starting with XI, since XI is also a Greek letter name valid in Scrabble.
What's the highest-scoring -EF word in Scrabble?
HANDKERCHIEF would be massive but it's 12 letters — hard to play. Among realistic options, CHIEF (13 points), BELIEF (11), and DEBRIEF (13) lead the list. MASSIF ends in -IF not -EF, so that's a different pattern. For other F-heavy strategies, see words starting with J for words that pair well with F on the board.