Words That End in HE: From Ache to Breathe
The -HE ending is one of those sneaky patterns in English that shows up more than you'd expect. You've got the silent-E crew — BATHE, BREATHE, SOOTHE, LOATHE — where the E changes the preceding TH from a hard sound to a soft one. Then there are the French imports like AFFICHE, APACHE, ATTACHE, and BABICHE that keep their continental flavor. Crossword constructors love this pattern because it sits at the intersection of common and tricky — solvers know words like ACHE and CACHE, but BOBECHE (the glass ring on a candle holder) can stump even experienced players.
Here's something word nerds appreciate: the TH-to-THE shift is one of the few cases in English where a silent E changes a consonant sound rather than a vowel. Compare BATH to BATHE, BREATH to BREATHE, CLOTH to CLOTHE. If you're playing Scrabble and have a spare E, remember you can extend BATH, BREATH, or LATH by tacking it on. Also useful to know: many words ending in EH overlap with this pattern in crossword grids. If your puzzle has a final HE and you're stuck, try thinking about whether the word might have a -LY adverb form — words like BLITHE often pair with BLITHELY as a crossing answer.
FAQ
What are the highest-scoring Scrabble words ending in HE?
PSYCHE (16 points base) and SCYTHE (14 points) rank among the top scorers. BREATHE and SHEATHE also perform well at 12 points each. Pair these with premium squares for maximum impact, and check words starting with C for potential cross-plays with CACHE or CRECHE.
Why do some -THE words change pronunciation when you drop the E?
English uses the silent E after TH to signal a voiced (soft) consonant: BATHE vs BATH, BREATHE vs BREATH, LOATHE vs LOATH. This is a leftover from Old English verb conjugation where the voiced TH appeared between vowels. If you're interested in similar ending patterns, see words starting with N for NICHE and NYMPHE variations.
What uncommon -HE words are valid in word games?
BOBECHE (a candle drip catcher), GANACHE (chocolate filling), BRIOCHE, and QUICHE are all valid. PANACHE is another strong play at 14 points. Many of these French-origin words also appear as crossword answers — check words starting with X if you need unusual letters nearby in your grid.