UN at the End: Guns, Buns, and Runs
Words ending in -UN are overwhelmingly short, punchy, and Anglo-Saxon in origin. BUN, FUN, GUN, NUN, PUN, RUN, SUN, SPUN, STUN — these are all Old English words that have barely changed in a thousand years. The -UN ending almost always rhymes perfectly across the whole family, which is why these words appear in children's poetry and song lyrics so often. It's also why crossword constructors reach for them as reliable short fill: a three-letter slot ending in N with a U in the middle practically screams BUN, FUN, GUN, NUN, PUN, RUN, or SUN.
The longer -UN words get more interesting. BEGUN, OUTRUN, RERUN, OVERRUN use the root RUN with prefixes. SHOTGUN, HANDGUN, BLOWGUN are compound GUN words. HOMESPUN and OUTSPUN build on SPUN. CAJUN and TRIBUNE show up when the pattern ventures into borrowed territory. For Scrabble scoring, most -UN words are modest because U is only worth 1 point, but UNSPUN (10 points) and OUTGUN (7 points) offer decent returns. The real value of -UN words is their shortness — they fit into tight spots on the board.
Pro tip: In crosswords, if the clue is a wordplay or pun clue and the answer ends in -UN, the answer might literally be PUN. Crossword constructors love self-referential humor. For prefix-heavy approaches to these root words, check words starting with R for RERUN and RUN variants, and browse words ending in ER for RUNNER, GUNNER, STUNNER. Also see words ending in O for another vowel ending with lots of short words.
FAQ
What -UN words score highest in Scrabble?
BLOWGUN (13 points), SHOTGUN (11 points), and OUTSPUN (9 points) are among the top scorers. Most -UN words are short and low-scoring individually, but they're excellent for parallel plays alongside existing board words. For high-scoring endings, compare with words ending in Q where single words can hit 20+ points.
Why do so many -UN words rhyme perfectly?
The -UN family descends from Old English, where word endings were more regular than in modern English. These words kept their short, simple vowel sounds through centuries of language change, unlike many other word families that diverged (compare COUGH, THROUGH, BOUGH). That consistency makes them perfect for rhyming games. For another tightly-rhyming family, explore words ending in AH.