92 Words Ending in Z — Your High-Score Toolkit
Z-ending words are a goldmine for Scrabble and Words With Friends players. The Z tile is worth 10 points, and knowing where to park it at the end of a word separates good players from great ones. The 92 words in this group range from punchy three-letter plays — BIZ, COZ, FEZ, WIZ — up through RAZZMATAZZ at the far end. Many of these words come from other languages: WALTZ from German, KIBBUTZ from Hebrew, FEZ from Turkish (the city of Fez, where the hat originated), and QUIZ from an 18th-century Dublin anecdote that may or may not be true. English uses bare Z at word endings almost exclusively in loanwords — native English tends to spell the /z/ sound as -SE or -ZE instead (CAUSE, FROZE).
Here's a pattern worth noticing: a huge number of Z-enders involve doubled consonants. BUZZ, FIZZ, FRIZZ, JAZZ, RAZZ, PIZZAZZ — the ZZ cluster at the end is a signature feature of onomatopoeia and informal English words. For crossword solvers, FEZ and ADZ are the workhorses of this group. FEZ (the tasseled felt hat) appears in grids constantly because its three-letter size and unusual letter combination help constructors fill tricky corners. ADZ (a curved-blade woodworking tool, also spelled ADZE) is another crossword regular.
One scoring tip: three-letter Z-enders are perfect for parallel plays in Scrabble. If the board has an exposed I, slotting BIZ or FIZ beside an existing word can net 30+ points because both letters score in two directions. Build your high-value ending knowledge by also studying words ending in Q and words ending in J. For the Z-starting perspective, words starting with Z completes your Z mastery. And for common suffix endings that pair well in crossword grids, check words ending in ING.
FAQ
What are the highest-scoring Z-ending words in Scrabble?
PIZZAZZ (technically worth 45 base points) tops the list but requires blanks since there are only two Z tiles in the bag. More realistic top scorers include JAZZ (29 points), BUZZ (15), QUIZ (22), and FIZZ (25). Short plays like BIZ and WIZ score 14 and 15 points respectively — strong returns for three tiles. See also words starting with Z for more Z-tile strategies.
Is QUOZ or SPAZ valid in Scrabble?
SPAZ was removed from the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary in 2023 due to its use as a slur, though it remains in some international lists. QUOZ is not valid in any standard dictionary. Always check the current word list for your specific game. For other tricky letter endings, words ending in Q covers the three valid Q-enders.
Why do so many Z-ending words have double Z?
The ZZ pattern appears in words borrowed from Italian (PIZZA, PIAZZA, PAPARAZZI) and in English onomatopoeia where the buzzing or fizzing sound naturally calls for a prolonged Z (BUZZ, FIZZ, JAZZ). Single-Z endings tend to come from Arabic, Hebrew, or Turkish loanwords like FEZ and KIBBUTZ. Knowing this origin pattern helps you guess spelling in crosswords — if the word sounds "buzzy," try ZZ; if it feels borrowed, try single Z. For more on borrowed-word endings, see words ending in J.