ZE Words: Where Spelling Meets Strategy
Words ending in ZE split into two camps, and knowing which camp you're in wins word games. Camp one: the -IZE verbs. ORGANIZE, REALIZE, ANALYZE, RECOGNIZE — these are workday English words that follow a single, predictable pattern. Camp two: the standalone ZE words. BLAZE, FROZE, GAUZE, GRAZE, PRIZE, SNEEZE. These don't follow a suffix pattern; the ZE is baked into the word itself. For crossword solving, camp one dominates the longer answers (8+ letters) while camp two fills the shorter slots (4-7 letters).
Here's a fact that affects Scrabble strategy: the Z tile is worth 10 points, and words ending in ZE let you place it late in the word, closer to the right-side premium squares on the board. AMAZE (16 points) and ABLAZE (17 points) are strong midgame plays. AGONIZE (17 points) stretches to seven letters, increasing your chance of hitting a triple-word square. The -IZE suffix also means you can often extend an existing word: if REAL is on the board, adding IZE to make REALIZE scores big. The British spelling variant -ISE (realise, organise) is valid in international Scrabble dictionaries but not in North American tournament play, which is worth remembering for competitive games.
Pair ZE knowledge with words ending in X for another Z-adjacent high-value ending, words ending in ZEN for related patterns, and words ending in Y for an entirely different suffix approach. Also browse words starting with P for PARALYZE, PRIZE, and PULVERIZE.
FAQ
Is -IZE or -ISE the correct spelling?
In American English, -IZE is standard (organize, realize). In British English, both -IZE and -ISE are accepted, though -ISE is more common in everyday use. Oxford University Press actually prefers -IZE. For Scrabble, both are valid in international dictionaries but only -IZE in North American play. See words ending in C for another spelling-variant situation.
What short ZE words should Scrabble players memorize?
ADZE (14 points), DOZE (14 points), FAZE (16 points), FUZE (16 points), GAZE (14 points), HAZE (16 points), OOZE (13 points), and RAZE (13 points) are all high-scoring four-letter plays. The Z tile's 10-point value makes even short words powerful. For more Z strategy, see words ending in W and words ending in F for other consonant-heavy endings.
Four-Letter Words (14)
ADZEBIZEDAZEDOZEFAZEFUZEGAZEHAZELAZEMAZEMEZEOOZERAZESIZE
Five-Letter Words (26)
ADOZEAGAZEAMAZEBAIZEBLAZEBONZEBOOZEBRAZECLOZECRAZECROZEFEAZEFEEZEFROZEFURZEGAUZEGLAZEGLOZEGRAZEHEEZEMAIZEPRIZESEIZESMAZETAZZEWINZE
Six-Letter Words (23)
ABLAZEAGNIZEASSIZEBEGAZEBRAIZEBREEZEBRONZEDEFUZEFREEZEFRIEZEGROSZEIODIZEIONIZEPIAZZERESIZESLEAZESNEEZESNOOZETWEEZETZETZEUPGAZEUPSIZEWHEEZE
Seven-Letter Words (54)
AGATIZEAGENIZEAGONIZEANALYZEANODIZEAPPRIZEARABIZEATOMIZEAZOTIZEBAPTIZEBLINTZEBROMIZECAPSIZECOGNIZECYCLIZEDEGLAZEDIALYZEDUALIZEEBONIZEELEGIZEEMBLAZEEMPRIZEEROTIZEGRECIZEHEROIZEIDOLIZEIMBLAZEIRONIZEITEMIZEKYANIZELAICIZELIONIZEMIDSIZEOBELIZEODORIZEOUTGAZEOUTSIZEOXIDIZEOZONIZEPECTIZEPEPTIZEPOETIZEREALIZEREFROZEREGLAZERESEIZESHMOOZESQUEEZESTYLIZETRAPEZEUNFROZEUNISIZEUNITIZEUTILIZE
Eight-Letter Words (133)
ACTIVIZEALKALIZEAMORTIZEAPHORIZEARBORIZEARCHAIZEATTICIZEAUTOLYZEAVIANIZEBANALIZEBOTANIZEBULLDOZECALORIZECANALIZECANONIZECAPONIZECATALYZECHROMIZECIVILIZECOLONIZECOLORIZECOMPRIZECREOLIZECURARIZECUTINIZEDEIONIZEDEMONIZEDEPUTIZEDIGITIZEDIMERIZEDISPRIZEDISSEIZEDIVINIZEDOWNSIZEENERGIZEEQUALIZEETERNIZEETHERIZEETHICIZEEULOGIZEEXORCIZEFARADIZEFEMINIZEFIBERIZEFINALIZEFLUIDIZEFOCALIZEFRANCIZEGRAECIZEHEBRAIZEHEMOLYZEHEPATIZEHOMINIZEHUMANIZEIDEALIZEIMMUNIZEJAPANIZEJAROVIZEKAMIKAZELATERIZELATINIZELEGALIZELOCALIZELOGICIZELYRICIZEMADERIZEMAXIMIZEMELANIZEMELODIZEMEMORIZEMETALIZEMINIMIZEMISPRIZEMOBILIZEMONETIZEMORALIZEMOTORIZENASALIZENEBULIZENOTARIZENOVELIZEOPSONIZEOPTIMIZEORGANIZEOUTBLAZEOVERSIZEPAGANIZEPARALYZEPATINIZEPENALIZEPETUNTZEPINTSIZEPOLARIZEPOLEMIZEPREFROZEPYROLIZEPYROLYZEQUANTIZEQUATORZERACEMIZE
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Nine-Letter Words (190)
ACTUALIZEADVERTIZEALCHEMIZEALUMINIZEANALOGIZEANATOMIZEANGLICIZEANIMALIZEANNUALIZEAPOLOGIZEARABICIZEAROMATIZEAUTHORIZEBACTERIZEBALKANIZEBARBARIZEBRUTALIZECAPSULIZECARBOLIZECARBONIZECARBURIZECARTELIZECATECHIZECAUTERIZECICATRIZECLIMATIZECLITICIZECOCAINIZECOMMUNIZECRITICIZECUSTOMIZEDEAMINIZEDEEPFROZEDEODORIZEDEOXIDIZEDIABOLIZEDIAZOTIZEDIESELIZEDOGMATIZEDOLLARIZEDRAMATIZEECONOMIZEEMBLEMIZEEMPATHIZEEMPHASIZEEPITOMIZEEPOXIDIZEEROTICIZEEUPHEMIZEEUPHONIZEEUTHANIZEEXPERTIZEFACTORIZEFANTASIZEFERTILIZEFETISHIZEFEUDALIZEFORMALIZEFORMULIZEFOSSILIZEGALLICIZEGALVANIZEGENDERIZEGEOLOGIZEGERMANIZEGHETTOIZEGLAMORIZEGLOBALIZEGORGONIZEGOTHICIZEHARMONIZEHELLENIZEHEROICIZEHYBRIDIZEHYDROLYZEHYPNOTIZEISOMERIZEITALICIZEJARGONIZELABIALIZELEGENDIZELEMMATIZELINEARIZELIQUIDIZELUTEINIZEMAGNETIZEMARBELIZEMARBLEIZEMARTYRIZEMATRONIZEMECHANIZEMEDIATIZEMERCERIZEMESMERIZEMETALLIZEMETHODIZEMETRICIZEMICRONIZEMIRANDIZEMODERNIZE
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Ten-Letter Words (147)
ABSOLUTIZEAEROBICIZEAEROSOLIZEAGGRANDIZEALKALINIZEALLEGORIZEANTAGONIZEANTIFREEZEAPOSTATIZEAUTOMATIZEAUTOTOMIZEAXIOMATIZEBASTARDIZEBESTIALIZEBIPOLARIZEBITUMINIZEBOLSHEVIZEBOWDLERIZEBURGLARIZECAPITALIZECARAMELIZECATABOLIZECATEGORIZECENTRALIZECHANNELIZECINEMATIZECLASSICIZECONCERTIZECONCRETIZECRYSTALIZEDECIMALIZEDECOLONIZEDECOLORIZEDEEPFREEZEDEFEMINIZEDEFINITIZEDEHUMANIZEDELOCALIZEDEMOBILIZEDEMONETIZEDEMORALIZEDEPOLARIZEDERIVATIZEDESALINIZEDEVITALIZEDEVOCALIZEDIGITALIZEDOLOMITIZEEPITHELIZEETERNALIZEEVANGELIZEFANATICIZEFEDERALIZEFICTIONIZEFRATERNIZEGELATINIZEGENERALIZEGEOMETRIZEGLAMOURIZEGORMANDIZEGRAPHITIZEGRECIANIZEHEATHENIZEHOMOGENIZEHOMOLOGIZEIDEOLOGIZEILLEGALIZEIMMOBILIZEINDIGENIZEINITIALIZEITALIANIZEJEOPARDIZEJOURNALIZEKERATINIZELATERALIZELEGITIMIZELEXICALIZELIBERALIZELITERALIZELOBOTOMIZELYOPHILIZELYSOGENIZEMACADAMIZEMETABOLIZEMILITARIZEMINERALIZEMISSIONIZEMOISTURIZEMONGRELIZEMONOPOLIZEMUSICALIZENATURALIZENEUTRALIZEPALATALIZEPARASITIZEPASTEURIZEPLAGIARIZEPLASMOLYZEPLASTICIZEPOLEMICIZE
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Eleven-Letter Words (103)
ACCESSORIZEACCLIMATIZEACHROMATIZEALPHABETIZEANESTHETIZEANTHOLOGIZEAPOTHEOSIZECANNIBALIZECATHETERIZECATHOLICIZECIRCULARIZECIVILIANIZECOLONIALIZECOMMUNALIZECOMPUTERIZECONVEYORIZECOSMETICIZECRIMINALIZECRYSTALLIZEDECARBONIZEDECARBURIZEDEFORMALIZEDEGLAMORIZEDEMAGNETIZEDEMOCRATIZEDESACRALIZEDESENSITIZEDESEXUALIZEDESTABILIZEDESULFURIZEDETRIBALIZEDIAGONALIZEDICHOTOMIZEDISORGANIZEELECTROLYZEEMBLEMATIZEETHEREALIZEETYMOLOGIZEEUTHANATIZEEXTEMPORIZEEXTERIORIZEEXTERNALIZEFAMILIARIZEFORMULARIZEFRAGMENTIZEGOURMANDIZEHIERARCHIZEHISTORICIZEHOSPITALIZEHYPERBOLIZEHYPOSTATIZEHYPOTHESIZEIMMORTALIZEINCENTIVIZEINFANTILIZEINTERIORIZEINTERNALIZEMARGINALIZEMASCULINIZEMATERIALIZEMATHEMATIZEMEMORIALIZEMERCHANDIZEMETASTASIZEMINIATURIZEMYTHOLOGIZENATIONALIZEORIENTALIZEOUTORGANIZEOVERANALYZEOVERUTILIZEPARAMETRIZEPARFOCALIZEPERSONALIZEPHAGOCYTIZEPHOSPHATIZEPHOTOIONIZEPROSELYTIZEPRUSSIANIZERATIONALIZEREAUTHORIZEREEMPHASIZEREGIONALIZEREHYPNOTIZEREPRIVATIZERESENSITIZERESOCIALIZERESTABILIZEROMANTICIZESCHISMATIZESINGULARIZESKELETONIZESOLILOQUIZESTANDARDIZESUBOPTIMIZESUBURBANIZESUBVOCALIZESYNCHRONIZESYSTEMATIZETEMPORALIZE
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Twelve-Letter Words (55)
AESTHETICIZEANATHEMATIZEAPOSTROPHIZEATTITUDINIZECHARACTERIZECOLLECTIVIZECONSERVATIZECONTAINERIZECONTEMPORIZECOPOLYMERIZEDECENTRALIZEDEMILITARIZEDEMINERALIZEDENATURALIZEDENUCLEARIZEDEPOLITICIZEDEPOLYMERIZEDEPRESSURIZEDIPHTHONGIZEDISHARMONIZEEDITORIALIZEEMOTIONALIZEESSENTIALIZEFICTIONALIZEINSOLUBILIZELEGITIMATIZEMISEMPHASIZEMUNICIPALIZEOVERIDEALIZEOVERORGANIZEPARAMETERIZEPARENTHESIZEPHILOSOPHIZEPHOTOOXIDIZEPICTORIALIZEPOLITICALIZEPORCELAINIZEPRESTERILIZEPROPAGANDIZEPSYCHOLOGIZERECAPITALIZEREFLECTORIZEREMILITARIZEREPOPULARIZEREPRESSURIZERESYNTHESIZESECTARIANIZESPIRITUALIZESUBJECTIVIZETECHNICALIZETECHNOLOGIZETHYMECTOMIZETRANQUILLIZEUNDERUTILIZEUNIVERSALIZE
Thirteen-Letter Words (51)
ANAGRAMMATIZEBUREAUCRATIZECOLLATERALIZECOMMERCIALIZECONCEPTUALIZECONTEXTUALIZEDECRIMINALIZEDEMATERIALIZEDEMYTHOLOGIZEDENATIONALIZEDEPERSONALIZEEPIGRAMMATIZEEPITHELIALIZEFRACTIONALIZEHYPERIMMUNIZEHYPERPOLARIZEHYPOSENSITIZEIMMATERIALIZEIMPERSONALIZEINDIVIDUALIZEINDUSTRIALIZEMELODRAMATIZEMONUMENTALIZENEPHRECTOMIZEOCCIDENTALIZEORTHOGONALIZEOVERDRAMATIZEOVEREMPHASIZEOVERFERTILIZEOVERGLAMORIZEPARTICULARIZEPLATITUDINIZEPROVINCIALIZEPSYCHOANALYZEREACCLIMATIZERECRYSTALLIZEREHOSPITALIZEREMATERIALIZEREMYTHOLOGIZERENATIONALIZEREPUBLICANIZERESYSTEMATIZEREVOLUTIONIZESPLENECTOMIZESTRUCTURALIZESUBCATEGORIZESUBSPECIALIZESUBSTANTIVIZETHEATRICALIZETRANSISTORIZEVENTRILOQUIZE
Fourteen-Letter Words (17)
DESPIRITUALIZEHYPERSENSITIZEOVERCAPITALIZEOVERCENTRALIZEOVERGENERALIZEOVERHOMOGENIZEOVERSPECIALIZEPHOTOSENSITIZEPINEALECTOMIZEPROLETARIANIZERESPIRITUALIZESENSATIONALIZESENTIMENTALIZETERRITORIALIZETRADITIONALIZETRANSPARENTIZEUNDEREMPHASIZE
Fifteen-Letter Words (12)
CONVENTIONALIZEDEINDUSTRIALIZEDEPARTMENTALIZEGOVERNMENTALIZEINTELLECTUALIZEMISCHARACTERIZEPHOTOSYNTHESIZEPROFESSIONALIZERECONCEPTUALIZERECONTEXTUALIZEREINDUSTRIALIZETOTALITARIANIZE