Words Ending in K

Words Ending in K: The Hard Stop That Crosswords Love

K at the end of a word makes a sound you can't miss — a hard, voiceless velar stop right at the back of your mouth. BACK, BOOK, DARK, LOCK, WORK. English is full of these, and many are among the most common words in the language. What's interesting is that the -CK spelling (BACK, DUCK, TRICK) only happens after short vowels, while -K alone follows long vowels and consonants (BOOK, DARK, MILK). This isn't a rule anyone teaches explicitly, but native speakers follow it without thinking.

For word games, K is worth 5 points in Scrabble — not spectacular, but solid. The sweet spot for -K words is in the 4- to 8-letter range, where you'll find the densest cluster of common plays. KAYAK (15 points), KNACK (15 points), and QUIRK (18 points) are standouts. In crosswords, -K endings appear often in short fills: INK, OAK, ASK, ELK. These three-letter K-enders are grid staples. One pattern to remember: many -K words come from Old English or Old Norse (BOOK, DARK, STORK), while -CK words tend to be Germanic in origin (BACK, CLOCK, STICK). For related ending sounds, check words ending in QI and words ending in Q. Players working through longer fills should try words starting with S, which produces SHACK, SHRIEK, STEAK, and dozens more -K finishers.

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