6,414 Words That Start With "U"
6,414 words that start with "U" in our 199K-word dictionary.
Browse the complete list of 6,414 English words starting with "U". Each word in the grid below shows its IPA pronunciation, CEFR difficulty level (A1 beginner up to C2 mastery), and a one-line plain-English definition. Click any word to open its full dictionary entry. Use the filters to narrow by length, part of speech, or learner level.
Most Common Words That Start With "U" (Top 1k)
No top-1k frequency words match this combination yet.
Less Common Words That Start With "U" (Top 5k+)
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Ugly /ˈʌɡli/adj A2
Not nice to look at; unpleasant in physical appearance.
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Ulterior /ʌlˈtɪəriər/adj C1
A secret or hidden reason for doing something not obvious.
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Umbrella /ʌmˈbrelə/noun A1
A handheld object you open to stay dry in the rain or shaded from sun.
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Unable /ʌnˈeɪbəl/adj A1
Not able to do something; lacking the capacity or possibility.
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Uncle /ˈʌŋkəl/noun A1
A male family member who is your parent's brother or your aunt's husband.
595 More Words That Start With "U" (definitions coming soon)
Words That Start With "U" by Length
2 Letter Words That Start With "U" (11)
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Up /ʌp/adv A1
Movement or direction toward a higher place, or to a higher level or amount.
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Us /ʌs/noun A1
The person speaking plus other people.
See all 11 2-letter words that start with "U" →
3 Letter Words That Start With "U" (47)
See all 47 3-letter words that start with "U" →
4 Letter Words That Start With "U" (68)
See all 68 4-letter words that start with "U" →
5 Letter Words That Start With "U" (144)
See all 144 5-letter words that start with "U" →
6 Letter Words That Start With "U" (380)
See all 380 6-letter words that start with "U" →
7 Letter Words That Start With "U" (500)
See all 500 7-letter words that start with "U" →
8 Letter Words That Start With "U" (793)
See all 793 8-letter words that start with "U" →
9 Letter Words That Start With "U" (945)
See all 945 9-letter words that start with "U" →
10 Letter Words That Start With "U" (1,003)
See all 1,003 10-letter words that start with "U" →
11 Letter Words That Start With "U" (813)
See all 813 11-letter words that start with "U" →
12 Letter Words That Start With "U" (679)
See all 679 12-letter words that start with "U" →
13 Letter Words That Start With "U" (492)
See all 492 13-letter words that start with "U" →
14 Letter Words That Start With "U" (321)
See all 321 14-letter words that start with "U" →
15 Letter Words That Start With "U" (218)
Words That Start With "U" by Part of Speech
Nouns That Start With "U" (18)
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Us /ʌs/noun A1
The person speaking plus other people.
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Uncle /ˈʌŋkəl/noun A1
A male family member who is your parent's brother or your aunt's husband.
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Unit /ˈjuːnɪt/noun A1
One thing by itself that is part of something bigger.
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User /ˈjuːzər/noun A1
Someone who operates or works with a tool, device, or service.
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Umbrella /ʌmˈbrelə/noun A1
A handheld object you open to stay dry in the rain or shaded from sun.
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Underpinning /ˌʌndərˈpɪnɪŋ/noun C1
The basic foundation or support system that something depends on.
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Uniform /ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/noun A2
A uniform is special clothing that soldiers, police officers, or students wear to show they belong to a group.
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Universe /ˈjuːnɪvɜːrs/noun A2
Everything that exists in space: stars, planets, galaxies, and all matter.
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Understanding /ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/noun B1
When you understand something, you have understanding of it. This is your knowledge about a topic or idea.
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Underwear /ˈʌndərwɛər/noun A2
Underwear is clothing you wear under your regular clothes next to your skin.
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Unemployment /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/noun B1
Unemployment is when people do not have jobs and are looking for work.
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University /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsɪti/noun A1
A school where adults study advanced subjects after secondary education.
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Unveiling /ʌnˈveɪlɪŋ/noun C1
When something is shown to the public for the first time, often in a formal or ceremonial way. Like removing a cover from a statue or revealing a product.
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Upbringing /ˈʌp.brɪŋ.ɪŋ/noun B2
Your upbringing is how your parents raised you. It includes the values, habits, and experiences you had growing up.
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Uptime /ˈʌpˌtaɪm/noun C1
How long a system or service is working and available. The opposite of downtime. Used to measure reliability and service quality.
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Username /ˈjuːzərneɪm/noun A2
The name you create and use to log into websites, apps, or social media accounts. It is usually different from your real name and is used along with a password.
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Understatement /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/noun C2
Deliberate downplaying of significance
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Utilitarianism /ˌjuːtɪlɪˈtɛrɪənɪzəm/noun C2
An ethical theory that actions should be judged by whether they produce the most overall happiness for the most people.
See all 18 nouns that start with "U" →
Verbs That Start With "U" (17)
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Use /juːz/verb A1
To do something with a tool or thing.
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Urge /ɜrdʒ/verb B1
To push or strongly ask someone to do something.
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Undergo /ˌʌndərˈɡoʊ/verb C1
To experience or go through something. Often used for difficult processes or changes that happen to someone.
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Undertake /ˌʌndərˈteɪk/verb B2
To agree to do a job or project and accept responsibility for completing it.
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Utilize /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/verb B2
To make use of something you have available to accomplish a goal.
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Undermine /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/verb C1
Slowly damage or weaken someone's confidence, strength, or stability through ongoing actions.
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Underpin /ˌʌndərˈpɪn/verb C1
Be the main support that holds something up or makes it work. The foundation that something depends on to exist or succeed.
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Underscore /ˌʌndərˈskɔːr/verb C1
To emphasize or draw attention to something important. To make something stand out as significant. Similar to 'emphasize' but more formal.
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Understand /ˌʌndərˈstænd/verb A1
To know or grasp what something means; to comprehend or realize something.
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Underwrite /ˌʌndərˈraɪt/verb C1
When a bank or insurance company agrees to back a loan or insurance policy. They take on the financial risk.
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Unify /ˈjuːnɪfaɪ/verb C1
To bring different things or people together to become one thing or group; to unite everything into a single unit.
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Unravel /ʌnˈrævl/verb C1
To untangle something physical like yarn or string. Or to gradually figure out a puzzle, mystery, or complicated situation by investigating it carefully.
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Unsubscribe /ˌʌnsəbˈskraɪb/verb B1
To stop receiving emails, newsletters, or access to a service that you previously signed up for. This is the opposite of subscribing.
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Uphold /ʌpˈhoʊld/verb B2
To support or defend something you believe in. Or to hold something up so it doesn't fall.
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Uproot /ʌpˈruːt/verb C1
To pull a plant out of the ground completely, roots and all. Or to force a person to leave their home, community, or country where they have lived.
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Upsell /ˈʌpsel/verb C1
To encourage someone to buy a better, more expensive version of what they already have or want.
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Usurp /juːˈzɜːrp/verb C1
Take control or authority that belongs to someone else, without having the legal right to do so.
See all 17 verbs that start with "U" →
Adjectives That Start With "U" (36)
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Ugly /ˈʌɡli/adj A2
Not nice to look at; unpleasant in physical appearance.
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Universal /juːnɪˈvɜrsəl/adj B2
Applying to everyone or everything everywhere. True or present in all places.
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Upper /ˈʌpər/adj A2
Positioned higher up or at a more senior level than something else.
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Upset /ʌpˈsɛt/adj A2
Feeling sad, worried, or annoyed about something that happened.
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Urban /ˈɜrbən/adj B1
Belonging to or found in cities, not in the countryside.
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Used /ˈjuːzd/adj A1
Not brand new; owned by someone else before.
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Usual /ˈjuːʒuəl/adj A1
Happening regularly or as you would expect; normal and common.
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Unable /ʌnˈeɪbəl/adj A1
Not able to do something; lacking the capacity or possibility.
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Unambiguous /ˌʌnæmˈbɪɡjuəs/adj B2
So clear that it can only mean one thing; leaving no room for different interpretations.
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Undisputed /ˌʌndɪˈspjuːtɪd/adj B2
Something that everyone agrees with and nobody argues against.
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Uninterested /ˌʌnˈɪntrəstɪd/adj B1
When you are uninterested, you do not care about something and have no desire to pay attention to it.
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Unique /juːˈniːk/adj B1
Something unique is one of a kind. It is different from all other things in a special way.
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United /juːˈnaɪtɪd/adj A2
When people or groups work as one team toward the same aim.
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Unknown /ʌnˈnoʊn/adj A2
When you do not know something or have not heard of it yet.
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Unnecessary /ˌʌnˈnesəseri/adj B1
Something that is not needed because you can manage without it.
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Unprecedented /ʌnˈprɛsɪdɛntɪd/adj B2
Something that has never happened before in history or experience; completely new.
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Unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒuəl/adj B1
Something that happens, looks, or happens in a way that is different and not normal.
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Urgent /ˈɜrʤənt/adj B1
Something that must be done very soon.
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Useful /ˈjuːsfəl/adj A1
Something that helps you do something.
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Ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/adj C1
Something that is found or exists in almost every place.
See all 36 adjectives that start with "U" →
Adverbs That Start With "U" (2)
How to Use Words That Start With "U"
Scrabble and Word Games
In Scrabble and Words With Friends, words starting with "U" can be valuable when you need to play through an existing tile on the board. Higher-tier letters like J, Q, X, and Z multiply your score quickly when stacked on bonus squares — scan the list below for short words that contain them. Two and three-letter words starting with "U" are especially useful for parallel plays where you build along an existing word and earn points for every adjacent tile.
Crossword Puzzles
For crossword puzzles, the most useful entries are mid-length common words — 5 to 8 letters — that fit standard grid patterns. Filter the list by length to match the cells in your clue. Pay attention to the CEFR level: clues from mainstream newspapers favour B1–B2 vocabulary, while themed and cryptic puzzles draw on rarer C1 and C2 words. The IPA shown on each card also helps confirm a guess — a clue marked "two syllables" should match a word with a simple stress pattern.
Creative Writing and Poetry
Writers and poets often look for groups of words starting with "U" to build alliteration, rhythm, or near-rhymes. Sort the list by length, scan the rare and C1+ words for fresh imagery, and use the linked dictionary entries to confirm connotation before you commit. The plain-English definitions are intentionally short so you can scan dozens of options without losing flow.
Longest Word That Start With "U"
Frequently Asked Questions About Words That Start With "U"
- How many words starting with "U"?
- There are 6,414 words starting with "U" in our 199,000-word English dictionary. The list ranges from common everyday words to rarer specialised vocabulary.
- What is the longest word starting with "U"?
- The longest word starting with "U" in our list is "UBIQUITARIANISM" — 15 letters long. Tap the word to see its full definition.
- Are these words valid in Scrabble?
- Most of the words in this list are valid in Scrabble and similar word games (we cross-reference standard tournament dictionaries). A handful of proper nouns and very rare technical terms may not be — when in doubt, double-check with the official Scrabble dictionary used in your league.
- How many 5-letter words starting with "U"?
- 144 5-letter words starting with "U" — useful for Wordle, daily puzzles, and short crosswords. Filter by length above to see only 5-letter results.