Quickly find out whether a word is valid in Scrabble or not (no spoilers).
Your opponent just played ZOEAE on a double word score and is looking very pleased with themselves. You have ten seconds to decide: let it stand, or challenge it. If you’re wrong, you lose your turn. If they’re wrong, the word comes off the board and they lose theirs.
This is the moment the Scrabble dictionary checker was built for.
How It Works
Type any word into the checker and it returns an instant verdict: valid or invalid.
It compares the word against the dictionary of your choice. No grey areas, no educated guesses. Each result also shows the word’s point value, part of speech, and definition, so you understand exactly what you’re dealing with.
Which Dictionary Applies to Your Game
Not all Scrabble games use the same word list, and playing the wrong one can invalidate a legitimate challenge or let a dodgy word slide:
- NWL / NASPA Word List: the official list for tournament play in North America
- SOWPODS / CSW (Collins Scrabble Words: used in the UK, Australia, and most international tournaments; significantly larger than the NWL
- OSPD (Official Scrabble Players Dictionary): the standard for casual North American play, with some words excluded from the NWL omitted
When in doubt, agree on a dictionary at the start of the game. It saves arguments later. Any further arguments can then be solved by this tool..
The Words Worth Knowing
The seventh edition of the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary added over 500 new words, including entries that would have seemed implausible in earlier editions. The dictionary is a living document, and words that were invalid last year may be perfectly legal today. When a word looks suspicious, check it. The result might surprise you in both directions.