Words Ending in IND: Bind, Find, Wind, and Beyond
The -IND ending anchors some of the most fundamental verbs in English. BIND, FIND, GRIND, KIND, MIND, WIND — these are Germanic-root words that have been in the language for over a thousand years. What's notable about -IND words is how many are irregular verbs: FIND becomes FOUND, BIND becomes BOUND, GRIND becomes GROUND, WIND becomes WOUND. This irregular pattern (called ablaut) dates back to Proto-Germanic and is one of the oldest grammatical features still active in English. Crossword clues involving discovery, attachment, or air currents frequently lead to -IND answers.
The -IND family extends beyond basic verbs. BEHIND and REMIND add prefixes to create common compound-style words. RESCIND (to cancel formally) and EXSCIND (to cut out) bring Latin precision. TAMARIND names a tropical fruit whose pod produces a sour pulp used in cooking worldwide — it entered English from Arabic via Medieval Latin. In Scrabble, most -IND words are short and score modestly, but TAMARIND at 11 points and MASTERMIND at higher values reward players who think beyond the obvious. BLIND (8 points) and GRIND (7 points) are reliable everyday plays.
Strategy: -IND words work well as extensions in Scrabble. If BIND is already on the board, you can build BINDING, BINDER, or UNBIND for bigger scores. The versatility of these root words makes them excellent foundations. For words with similar strong Anglo-Saxon roots, see words ending in A for a very different suffix tradition, or browse words starting with R for RE- prefixed -IND words like REMIND and RIND.
FAQ
Why are so many -IND verbs irregular?
BIND/BOUND, FIND/FOUND, GRIND/GROUND, and WIND/WOUND all follow the Germanic strong verb pattern called ablaut, where the vowel changes instead of adding -ED. These are among the oldest verbs in English, predating the regular -ED past tense system. Newer words ending in -IND (like RESCIND) do use regular conjugation: RESCINDED. For more irregular verb patterns, explore words ending in G where RING/RANG/RUNG follows similar logic.
Is TAMARIND a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, TAMARIND is valid in both TWL and SOWPODS, scoring 11 points base. It's an 8-letter word that uses all common tiles — no premium letters — but its length makes it a potential bingo candidate if you can build it. TAMARINDS (the plural) adds an S for 12 points. For other food-origin words, see words ending in C where TURMERIC appears.
What -IND words appear most in crosswords?
BLIND, BEHIND, FIND, GRIND, KIND, MIND, and WIND are crossword staples — they're short, common, and have clear cluing options. REMIND and RESCIND appear in harder puzzles. WIND is a constructor's favorite because it has two pronunciations and meanings (air movement vs. to coil), allowing creative misdirection in clues. For more multi-meaning crossword words, browse words starting with U.