A Guide to Silent Letter Words in English (With Examples)

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Plus, learn where silent letters come from and why they exist

Co-authored by Ronnie Ramos and Bailey Cho

Last Updated: November 27, 2025 Fact Checked

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Words with Silent Letters from A-Z

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About Silent Letters

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Silent letters are letters in a word that are written but not pronounced. They appear in thousands of English words, but don’t follow the same pronunciation patterns and rules that govern other letters. That’s why we’re providing the ultimate list of silent letter words, with tips on how to determine if a letter is silent. We’ll also explain why silent letters exist, where they come from, and the different types of silent letters.

Words with Silent First Letters

Silent letter rules are irregular, but some common patterns exist. For example, the letter “k” is silent before “n” (i.e., knead, knife). The letter “w” is silent before “r” (i.e., writer, wrapper). The letter “p” is silent before “s” (i.e., psalm, psycho). The letter “g” is silent before “n” (i.e., gnat, gnome).

Section 1 of 2:

Words with Silent Letters from A-Z

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1
The letter “A” is usually silent in the “-ea” combination (i.e., bread, head) and in adverbs ending in “-ically” (i.e., basically, practically).^{[1]
X
Research source} Here are some common silent A words:
- Bread
- Break
- Clean
- Deal
- Death
- Dream
- Fear
- Fearful
- Great
- Head
- Health
- Heart
- Heavy
- Leather
- Peach
- Ready
- Real
- Seam
- Steak
- Sweater
- Teacher
- Wealth
- Year
2
Words with Silent B Typically, the letter “B” is silent in English when it comes after an “m” at the end of a word (like “climb”) or before a “t” (like in “debt”).^{[2]
X
Research source} However, this isn’t a universal rule. Here are some common silent B words:
- Aplomb
- Bomb
- Climb
- Comb
- Crumb
- Debt
- Doubt
- Dumb
- Jamb
- Lamb
- Limb
- Numb
- Plumb
- Subtle
- Succumb
- Thumb
- Tomb
- Womb
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3
Words with Silent C The letter “C” is usually silent when it follows an “S” in words, such as “scene” or “scissors.”^{[3]
X
Research source} It can also be silent in specific cases, such as “czar” or “muscle.” Here are common silent C words:
- Abscess
- Ascend
- Ascent
- Conscience
- Conscious
- Crescent
- Czar
- Descend
- Disciple
- Evanesce
- Fascinate
- Fluorescent
- Muscle
- Obscene
- Resuscitate
- Scenario
- Scene
- Scissors
4
The letter “D” is often silent when it appears before the letter “G,” as in “edge” or “ledge.”^{[4]
X
Research source} It can also be silent when it’s between 2 consonants in words like “grandson,” or after an “N” in words like “handsome.” Here are some common silent D words:
- Bridge
- Edge
- Grandson
- Handful
- Handkerchief
- Handsome
- Ledge
- Sandwich
- Wednesday
5
Words with Silent E The letter “E” is often silent at the end of a word, especially when following a consonant.^{[5]
X
Research source} These words usually end in “vowel + consonant + silent E” (i.e., love, hope). Here are some common silent E words:
- Debate
- Desire
- Excite
- Hope
- Kite
- Love
- Make
- Name
6
Words with Silent G The letter “G” is silent in lots of English words, especially when it comes before “N” at the beginning or end of a word.^{[6]
X
Research source} It can also become silent when followed by the letter N within a word, such as in “foreign” or “feign.” Here are common silent G words:
- Align
- Assign
- Benign
- Champagne
- Cologne
- Consign
- Design
- Feign
- Foreign
- Gnarly
- Gnash
- Gnaw
- Gnome
- Gnomic
- High
- Light
- Resign
- Sign
7
Words with Silent H The letter “H” is sometimes silent when it follows “C” or appears after certain consonants, like “-gh,” “-wh,” or “-rh.”^{[7]
X
Research source} It can also be silent at the beginning of words, like “honest” or “hour.” Here are common silent H words:
- Anchor
- Archeology
- Architect
- Architecture
- Archive
- Borough
- Chaos
- Character
- Characteristic
- Charisma
- Chemical
- Chemistry
- Chemist
- Choreograph
- Chorus
- Christmas
- Christian
- Echo
- Ghost
- Heir
- Herbs
- Honest
- Honor
- Hour
- Psychology
- Rhino
- Schedule
- Scheme
- School
- Tech
- Technology
- Techie
- Thai
- Thailand
- Thigh
- Thorough
- Vehicle
- Weigh
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
- Which
- While
- White
8
The letter “I” can be silent if it appears before the letter “U” in the combination “ui.” There aren’t as many silent I words in English, but here are the most common examples:^{[8]
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Research source}
- Business
- Fruit
- Suit
9
Words with Silent J While the letter “J” is rarely silent, there are a few exceptions, such as “marijuana” and “hallelujah.”^{[9]
X
Research source} It’s also silent in Spanish names, like “Juan” or “Jesus.” Here are some examples:
- Fajita
- Marijuana
- Mojito
- Hallelujah
- Mojave
10
Words with Silent K The letter “K” is silent when it appears at the beginning of a word and is immediately followed by the letter “N.”^{[10]
X
Research source} Here are common silent K words:
- Knack
- Knave
- Knead
- Knee
- Kneel
- Knell
- Knickers
- Knife
- Knight
- Knit
- Knob
- Knock
- Knoll
- Knot
- Know
- Knew
- Known
- Knowledge
- Knuckle
11
Words with Silent L Usually, the letter “L” is silent when it appears after a vowel and before certain consonants, like “F,” “K,” or “M.”^{[11]
X
Research source} Silent K words can be challenging because there’s no universal rule, but here are the most common examples:
- Almond
- Balm
- Behalf
- Calf
- Chalk
- Could
- Folk
- Half
- Palm
- Salmon
- Should
- Stalk
- Talk
- Walk
- Would
- Yolk
12
There aren’t many silent M words, but the letter “M” is silent when it appears at the beginning of a word and is directly followed by an “N.” Here are the most common examples:^{[12]
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Research source}
- Mnemic
- Mnemonic
13
Words with Silent N The letter “N” is silent when it follows an “M” at the end of the word, as in “hymn” or “column.”^{[13]
X
Research source} Here are the most common silent N words:
- Autumn
- Column
- Condemn
- Damn
- Hymn
- Solemn
14
Words with Silent O The letter “O” is silent when it’s part of a vowel digraph like “ou” or when it’s in unstressed syllables, like in the second “o” in “chocolate” or “comfortable.” Here are some common silent O words:^{[14]
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Research source}
- Enough
- Colonel
- Jeopardy
- Leopard
- People
- Rough
- Tough
15
Words with Silent P The letter “P” is silent at the beginning of words that start with “ps,” “pn,” or “pt.”^{[15]
X
Research source} It can also be silent in the middle of specific words, especially those of French origin. Here are some common examples:
- Coup
- Cupboard
- Pneumonia
- Psalm
- Pseudo
- Psoriasis
- Psychiatrist
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Psychotic
- Pterodactyl
- Receipt
16
The letter “Q” isn’t truly silent in English, unless it’s in the word “lacquer.” The “qu” combination is almost always pronounced as “/kw/”, but in “lacquer,” the “qu” is pronounced as “/k/.”^{[16]
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Research source}
- Lacquer
17
Words with Silent R The letter “R” is rarely silent in American English, unless it’s the first R in “February.” However, it is often silent in standard British English when it appears before a consonant sound or at the end of a word.^{[17]
X
Research source} Here are some examples:
- February
- Bird (British English)
- Girl (British English)
- Park (British English)
- First (British English)
18
Words with Silent S The letter “S” is silent in words with specific historical or linguistic origins, like “isle,” “aisle,” and “debris.”^{[18]
X
Research source} This is because the words were borrowed from other languages, like French and Latin, where the spellings were restored but the pronunciations didn’t change. Here are some examples:
- Aisle
- Bourgeois
- Corps
- Debris
- Island
- Isle
- Viscount
19
Words with Silent T The letter “T” is usually silent when it’s between consonants, especially in combinations like “-st” or “-et.”^{[19]
X
Expert Source

Ronnie Ramos
English Language Teacher

Expert Interview} It’s also commonly silent in words from other languages, like “ballet” and “mortgage.”^{[20]
X
Research source} Here are common silent T words:
- Apostle
- Ballet
- Bristle
- Bustle
- Castle
- Fasten
- Glisten
- Hustle
- Listen
- Moisten
- Mortgage
- Often
- Tsunami
- Whistle
20
The letter “U” is usually silent after the letter “G,” especially in combinations like “gu-.”^{[21]
X
Research source} Depending on the position in the word, the “U” can be pronounced as the short “u” sound, the long “u” sound, or with a “y” sound. Here are some examples:
- Baguette
- Biscuit
- Build
- Building
- Built
- Circuit
- Disguise
- Guess
- Guest
- Guide
- Guild
- Guilt
- Guilty
- Guise
- Guitar
- Rogue
- Silhouette
21
Words with Silent W The letter “W” is often silent when it appears before an “R” at the beginning of a word, like in “write” or “wrestle.”^{[22]
X
Research source} Here are the most common examples:
- Awry
- Playwright
- Sword
- Wrack
- Wrangle
- Wrap
- Wrapper
- Wrath
- Wreak
- Wreath
- Wreck
- Wrestle
- Wriggle
- Wring
- Wrinkle
- Wrist
- Writ
- Write
- Wrote
- Written
- Wrong
22
Words with Silent X Generally, the letter “X” is only silent in a few loanwords from French, like in “faux” or “roux.”^{[23]
X
Research source} Here are some common examples:
- Bordeaux
- Faux
- Faux pas
- Roux
23
Words with Silent Y The letter “Y” is rarely silent in English, unless it appears in the middle of a word.^{[24]
X
Research source} However, some words, like “mayonnaise” and “coyote,” can be silent depending on regional pronunciation.
- Beyond
- Mayonnaise
24
The letter “Z” is seldom silent, but it can be in certain words borrowed from French.^{[25]
X
Research source} Here are the most common examples:
- Chez
- Laissez-faire
- Rendezvous

Section 2 of 2:

The History & Rules of Silent Letters

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1
Silent letters exist because they reflect a word’s origins and history. Many silent letters are borrowed from other languages, like Latin, Greek, and French. English speakers simplified pronunciations over time without changing the spelling of these words, since spelling evolved more slowly than the spoken language. The need for standardized spelling arose with the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, cementing spellings that reflected older pronunciations.^{[26]
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Research source}
- In 1755, Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language helped preserve silent letter conventions, which have allowed modern speakers to trace word roots over centuries and explain silent letter patterns.
- Examples of borrowed silent letters: The silent letter “b,” such as the “b” in “debt” or “doubt,” comes from Latin. The silent letter “p,” such as the “p” in “psychology” or “pseudo,” comes from Greek. The silent letter “h,” such as the “h” in “hour” and “honest,” comes from French.
2
Silent letters differentiate homophones and indicate pronunciation. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings, like “night” and “knight,” and silent letters help someone distinguish between them in writing. Some silent letters also help the reader stress the correct syllable and change the pronunciation of other letters.^{[27]
X
Research source}
- Examples of silent letter homophones: Be/bee, in/inn, rest/wrest, new/knew, jam/jamb, knot/not, threw/through, weather/whether, whole/hole, write/right, hour/our.
- Examples of silent letters indicating pronunciation: The silent “e” at the end of the word “cube” changes the sound and length of that syllable. “Cube” has a long “u” sound, while “cub” has a short “u” sound. The silent “i” in “family” changes the syllabic emphasis and makes the word shorter (i.e., it’s pronounced “fam-ly” instead of “fam-i-ly”).
3
Silent letter rules are inconsistent, but some common patterns exist. While 40% of English words featuring silent letters follow patterns, about 60% do not. British accent coach Luke Nicholson recommends “using a dictionary with IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcriptions to check pronunciation.”^{[28]
X
Expert Source

Luke Nicholson
British Accent Coach

Expert Interview} You can also talk to native English speakers or use online pronunciation tools like HowToPronounce.com to see if a letter is silent. Here are some common silent letters and their rules:^{[29]
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Research source}
- “B” is often silent after “m” (i.e., climb, limb, thumb).
- “C” is often silent before “i,” “e,” or “y” (i.e., science, receive).
- “E” is often silent at the end of a word (i.e., bake, cake, rake).
- “G” is often silent before “n” (i.e., gnarl, gnaw, gnat).
- “H” is silent in words of Latin or French origin (i.e., honest, hour).
- “K” is often silent before “n” at the beginning of a word (i.e., knife, knight, knuckle).
- “N” is often silent after “m” (i.e., autumn, column).
- “P” is silent in words of Greek origin (i.e., psychology, pneumonia, phonics).
- “W” is often silent before “r” (i.e., write, wrong, wrapper).