Words Ending
in ABLE
-ABLE means "capable of being done" or "worthy of." READABLE (can be read), COMFORTABLE (can provide comfort), RELIABLE (can be relied on). From TABLE and CABLE to COMFORTABLE and UNFORGETTABLE, -ABLE words span every length in word games.
What Does -ABLE Mean?
The suffix -ABLE (and its variant -IBLE) comes from Latin -abilis and means "capable of being done" or "worthy of being done." READABLE = capable of being read, ADORABLE = worthy of being adored, VALUABLE = worthy of being valued. When you see -IBLE instead of -ABLE (FLEXIBLE, VISIBLE, HORRIBLE), the meaning is identical — the spelling varies based on the Latin root of the base word. -ABLE attaches to native English verbs; -IBLE attaches to Latinate roots.
-ABLE Words by Length
7-letter -ABLE words
8-letter -ABLE words
9-letter -ABLE words
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the -ABLE suffix mean?
-ABLE means "capable of being done" or "worthy of being done." It comes from Latin -abilis. READABLE = capable of being read, ADORABLE = worthy of being adored, RELIABLE = capable of being relied on. Its variant -IBLE (FLEXIBLE, VISIBLE) carries the same meaning — the spelling depends on whether the root is Old English (-ABLE) or Latinate (-IBLE).
What are the highest-scoring -ABLE words in Scrabble?
Top -ABLE plays: SIZABLE (19 pts), TAXABLE (16 pts), FIXABLE (19 pts), MOVABLE (14 pts), PAYABLE (14 pts), LOVABLE (13 pts), CAPABLE (13 pts). SIZABLE and FIXABLE score highest — Z and X tiles dominate Scrabble scoring. TAXABLE (16 pts) is the most commonly playable high-scorer.
What is the difference between -ABLE and -IBLE?
Both -ABLE and -IBLE mean "capable of being done" — the spelling depends on the root. -ABLE attaches to complete English words (READ → READABLE, WORK → WORKABLE, LOVE → LOVABLE). -IBLE attaches to Latinate roots that aren't standalone English words (vis → VISIBLE, horr → HORRIBLE, poss → POSSIBLE). As a spelling rule: if you can attach the suffix to a recognizable English word, use -ABLE; otherwise use -IBLE.
What 7-letter -ABLE words are good for Scrabble?
7-letter -ABLE Scrabble bingos: CAPABLE (13 pts), FIXABLE (19 pts), SIZABLE (19 pts), TAXABLE (16 pts), PAYABLE (14 pts), MOVABLE (14 pts), LOVABLE (13 pts), NOTABLE (9 pts), DURABLE (10 pts), CURABLE (11 pts). FIXABLE and SIZABLE are the top 7-letter -ABLE scorers in standard Scrabble play.