Silent Letters | English Words with Silent Letters from A To Z

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Have you ever wondered why some English words have letters that are seemingly invisible? These are what we call silent letters. Silent letters are letters that are written in a word but not pronounced when the word is spoken. They add an extra layer of complexity to the English language and can be a source of confusion for both native and non-native speakers.

From A to Z, silent letters can be found in a variety of English words. Some of the most common examples include the “b” in “comb,” the “k” in “knight,” and the “g” in “gnome.” But there are many more examples that you may not be aware of.

In this blog post, we’ll explore English words with silent letters from A to Z. We’ll discuss why these letters are silent and how to correctly pronounce the words they appear in. Whether you’re a language enthusiast or simply curious about the quirks of the English language, this post is for you. Let’s dive in!

What is a silent letter?

A silent letter is a letter that appears in a word but is not pronounced when the word is spoken. In English, many words contain silent letters, which can make spelling and pronunciation difficult for non-native speakers and learners of the language.

English Words with Silent Letters from A To Z

English Words with Silent Letters

Here are English words with silent letters from A to Z:

Silent Letters word starts with A

Here are some words that start with the letter “A” and have silent letters:

  1. aisle
  2. apron
  3. artist
  4. answer
  5. autumn
  6. heirloom
  7. honest
  8. hourglass
  9. heir
  10. asthma

Silent Letters word starts with B

Here are some words that start with the letter “B” and have silent letters:

  1. Biscuit
  2. Bomb
  3. Climbing
  4. Comb
  5. Crumb
  6. Debt
  7. Doubt
  8. Lamb
  9. Limb
  10. Subtle
  11. Thumb
  12. Tomb
  13. Womb

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Silent Letters word starts with C

Here are some words that start with the letter “C” and have a silent letter:

  1. Czar
  2. Clique
  3. Calf
  4. Chord
  5. Comb
  6. Column
  7. Coupe
  8. Castle
  9. Chef
  10. Corps
  11. Debt
  12. Doubt
  13. Psychology
  14. Pseudonym
  15. Scissors
  16. Scene
  17. Science
  18. Muscle
  19. Indict
  20. Knife

Silent Letters word starts with D

There aren’t many words that start with the letter “D” that have a silent letter. Here are a few examples:

  1. Django (a name)
  2. Wednesday (pronounced as “wenz-dei”)
  3. Handkerchief
  4. Sandwich (in some accents or dialects)
  5. Edge (in some accents or dialects)
  6. Indebted
  7. Handsome (in some accents or dialects)
  8. Wednesday (pronounced as “wenz-dei”)
  9. Cadet (in some accents or dialects)
  10. Gnarled (pronounced as “narld”)

Silent Letters word starts with E

Here are some English words that start with the letter “E” and have silent letters:

  1. Eiderdown
  2. Eight
  3. Either
  4. Eject
  5. Elbow
  6. Elder
  7. Elephant
  8. Eligible
  9. Elite
  10. Embalm
  11. Embarrass
  12. Embed
  13. Embroider
  14. Empty
  15. Ennui
  16. Enough
  17. Envelope
  18. Epitome
  19. Eponymous
  20. Errand
  21. Escape
  22. Estate
  23. Estuary
  24. Euphemism
  25. European.

Silent Letters word starts with F

Here are some words that start with “F” and have a silent letter:

  1. Fasten
  2. Feng shui
  3. Finesse
  4. Fistula
  5. Flamboyant
  6. Flaccid
  7. Flagrant
  8. Flamenco
  9. Flocculent
  10. Fluorescent
  11. Fuchsia
  12. Furtive
  13. Faux pas
  14. Feign
  15. Filet
  16. Finial
  17. Forecastle
  18. Forfeit
  19. Forte
  20. Fossilize
  21. Frond
  22. Furlough
  23. Furtively
  24. Fiefdom
  25. Flotsam
  26. Fascia
  27. Fascinate
  28. Fetid
  29. Fiscal
  30. Flair
  31. Flak
  32. Flange

Silent Letters word starts with G

Here are some words that start with “G” and have silent letters:

  1. Gnome
  2. Gnat
  3. Gnaw
  4. Ghost
  5. Ghoul
  6. Gnostic
  7. Gnu
  8. Gnarl
  9. Gnash
  10. Gibraltar
  11. Gnomic
  12. Gnome-like
  13. Gneiss
  14. Gnathic
  15. Gnosticize
  16. Gnathite
  17. Gnomology
  18. Gnosiology
  19. Gneissic
  20. Gnomonics

Silent Letters word starts with H

Here are some words that start with the letter “H” that contain silent letters:

  1. Hour
  2. Honour
  3. Heir
  4. Honest
  5. Honorarium
  6. Herb
  7. Hourglass
  8. Homage
  9. Hourly
  10. Hezbollah
  11. Rhyme
  12. Ghost
  13. Vehicle
  14. Why
  15. Choir
  16. Thyme
  17. Django
  18. Ghoul
  19. Shepherd
  20. Dauphin
  21. Yacht
  22. Exhale
  23. Chord
  24. Whistle
  25. Khaki

Silent Letters word starts with I

Here are some words that start with the letter “I” and have silent letters:

  1. Island
  2. Isle
  3. Indict
  4. Interesting
  5. Invincible
  6. Irony
  7. Illicit
  8. Irritate
  9. Illogical
  10. Invisible
  11. Irritable
  12. Insignia
  13. Innuendo
  14. Innumerable
  15. Inherit
  16. Incentive
  17. Inevitable
  18. Innocent
  19. Indispensable
  20. Infamous.
  21. Intangible
  22. Inventory
  23. Inquire
  24. Invitation
  25. Irresistible
  26. Initial
  27. Imbue
  28. Introspection
  29. Irradiate
  30. Intimate
  31. Indivisible
  32. Irreparable
  33. Immaculate
  34. Illumination
  35. Inaugurate
  36. Inflammable
  37. Inoculate
  38. Inscribe
  39. Inertia
  40. Inoculation.

Silent Letters word starts with J

Here are some words that start with the letter “J” and contain silent letters:

  1. Jamb – the upright side of a doorframe
  2. Jeopardy – danger or risk
  3. Jihad – a struggle or fight for a religious cause
  4. Joist – a horizontal beam used for support
  5. Junket – a dessert made from sweetened milk or cream
  6. Just – fair or equitable
  7. Joust – a medieval sport in which two knights on horseback try to knock each other off with lances (silent “ou”)
  8. Juror – a member of a jury (silent “o”)
  9. Juvenile – relating to young people or immaturity (silent “e”)
  10. Jalapeño – a type of chili pepper (silent “e” and “ñ”)
  11. Javelin – a lightweight spear used in track and field events (silent “i”)
  12. Jealous – feeling or showing envy (silent “o”)
  13. Jockey – a person who rides horses in races (silent “e” and “y”)
  14. Journal – a daily record or diary (silent “o”)
  15. Judge – a person who presides over a court of law (silent “g” and “e”)
  16. Junta – a group of military officers who rule a country after taking power by force (silent “u” and “a”)
  17. Justify – to show or prove to be right or reasonable (silent “i” and “y”)
  18. Juxtapose – to place side by side for comparison or contrast (silent “a” and “e”)

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Silent Letters word starts with K

Here are some common words that start with the letter “K” and have silent letters:

  1. Knot
  2. Knee
  3. Knit
  4. Knob
  5. Knowledge
  6. Knack
  7. Knickers
  8. Knuckle
  9. Knapsack
  10. Knight
  11. Knead
  12. Knurl
  13. Knout
  14. Knappe
  15. Kyanize
  16. Kaleidoscope
  17. Kenning
  18. Khalif
  19. Knurling
  20. Kneeler
  21. Koenigsberg
  22. Kymogram
  23. Kymograph
  24. Kinesiology
  25. Karyotype
  26. Karyokinesis
  27. Karyogamy
  28. Karst
  29. Keyboard
  30. Keelson

Silent Letters word starts with L

  1. Lumber
  2. Lightning
  3. Listen
  4. Lamb

Silent Letters word with M

Here are some words that have silent letters with “M”:

  1. Mnemonic
  2. Mistletoe
  3. Chasm
  4. Solemn
  5. Column
  6. Damn
  7. Autumn
  8. Condemn
  9. Pneumonia
  10. Boredom
  11. Reprimand
  12. Commute
  13. Exempt
  14. Climbing
  15. Gnome
  16. Hemorrhage
  17. Limb
  18. Phlegm
  19. Comb
  20. Bombard.

Silent Letters word with N

Here are some words that have silent letters with “n”:

  1. Autumn
  2. Column
  3. Damn
  4. Solemn
  5. Condemn
  6. Pneumonia
  7. Knot
  8. Gnome
  9. Mnemonic
  10. Halfpenny
  11. Hymn
  12. Kiln
  13. Wednesday
  14. Synonym
  15. Sighs and sign (homonyms, where the “g” is silent)
  16. Gnostic
  17. Foreign
  18. Sovereign
  19. Knight
  20. Btwn (short for “between” in text messages or social media posts)

Silent Letters word with O

Here are some words with silent letters containing the letter “O”:

  1. Debt
  2. Doubt
  3. Thumb
  4. Lamb
  5. Bomb
  6. Comb
  7. Knot
  8. Honest
  9. Hour
  10. Ghost
  11. Gnome
  12. Psychology
  13. Isolation
  14. Colonel
  15. Autumn
  16. Resign
  17. Sovereign
  18. Renown
  19. Column
  20. Soften.

Silent Letters word with P

Here are some common English words with silent letters that begin with the letter “P”:

  1. Pneumonia
  2. Psychology
  3. Pterodactyl
  4. Pseudo
  5. Pterosaur
  6. Ptarmigan
  7. Pneumatic
  8. Receipt (sometimes spelled “receit”)
  9. Corps (as in Marine Corps)
  10. Gnome (sometimes spelled “gnome”)

Silent Letters word with Q

Here are some words with a silent “Q”:

  1. Quay
  2. Qatar
  3. Quiche
  4. Quinoa
  5. Quorum
  6. Antique
  7. Mosque
  8. Technique
  9. Conquest
  10. Liquor

Silent Letters word with R

Here are some words with silent letters “r”:

  1. Corps
  2. Hour
  3. Heir
  4. Honor
  5. Herb
  6. Iron
  7. Mortgage
  8. Squirrel
  9. Wristwatch
  10. Wrong

Silent Letters word with S

Here are some words that contain a silent letter “s”:

  1. Island
  2. Isle
  3. Corps
  4. Debris
  5. Descent
  6. Rendezvous
  7. Viscount
  8. Mortgage
  9. Chorus
  10. Renaissance
  11. Muscles
  12. Castle
  13. Listen
  14. Fasten
  15. Whisper
  16. Greenwich
  17. Glisten
  18. Raspberry

Silent Letters word with T

Here are some English words with a silent “t”:

  1. Ballet
  2. Castle
  3. Fasten
  4. Gourmet
  5. Listen
  6. Mortgage
  7. Often
  8. Whistle
  9. Christmas
  10. Combustible
  11. Subtle
  12. Debut
  13. Depict
  14. Rebuttal
  15. Thistle
  16. Fasting
  17. Gestures
  18. Moisture
  19. Posthumous
  20. Scientist

Silent Letters word with U

There are several words in English with silent letters that include the letter “U”. Here are some examples:

  1. Plumber – The “b” is silent.
  2. Honour – The “u” is silent.
  3. Autumn – The “n” is silent.
  4. Build – The “i” is silent.
  5. Biscuit – The “ui” is pronounced as “i”, making the “u” silent.
  6. Catalogue – The “ue” is silent.
  7. Circuit – The “ui” is pronounced as “i”, making the “u” silent.
  8. Column – The “n” is silent.
  9. Debt – The “b” is silent.
  10. Doubt – The “b” is silent.

Silent Letters word with V

Here are some words with silent letters that begin with the letter “v”:

  1. Vase
  2. Veil
  3. Vein
  4. Veldt
  5. Vesper
  6. Vestige
  7. Vie
  8. View
  9. Vigil
  10. Village
  11. Vinegar
  12. Viscount
  13. Visor
  14. Vital
  15. Vivacious
  16. Vivid
  17. Volley
  18. Voyage.

Silent Letters word with W

Here are some examples of words that contain a silent “w”:

  1. Wren
  2. Wrist
  3. Write
  4. Wrong
  5. Wrought
  6. Wrap
  7. Wreath
  8. Wreak
  9. Wry
  10. Wrentham (a town in Massachusetts, USA)

Silent Letters word with X

There are several words that have silent letters in them, including the letter “x”. Here are some examples:

  1. Bureaux
  2. Faux
  3. Beaux
  4. Tourniquet
  5. Exchequer
  6. Exacerbate
  7. Exhale
  8. Exorcise
  9. Exotic
  10. Exquisite

Silent Letters word with Y

There aren’t many words with silent letters that also contain the letter “y”, but here are a few examples:

  1. Yacht – the “h” is silent
  2. Yoga – the “g” is silent
  3. Yolk – the “l” is silent
  4. Beryl – the “y” is silent
  5. Pyx – the “y” is silent

Silent Letters word with Z

There are no commonly used words in English that contain both a “z” and a silent letter. However, there are some words with a silent “z”:

  1. Rendezvous
  2. Faux pas
  3. Hertzian
  4. Muzhik
  5. Sporozoa
  6. Vizir
  7. Breezeway
  8. Pizza (in some dialects, the “z” is silent)
  9. Gazelle (in some dialects, the “z” is silent)
  10. Mezzanine (in some dialects, the “z” is silent)
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