The “Z” letter is one of the most valuable tiles in the game Scrabble, so when it is drawn, it’s important to make the most of the opportunity. Learning these four-letter “Z” words will help players be ready to do exactly that.

Players might want to learn Scrabble’s legal two-letter words and words with a Q but no U from the various Scrabble word lists. In addition to vocabulary, there are several simple ways to improve Scrabble play. The words below are considered legal according to the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 4th Edition, and they may not be legal if using a different dictionary. The word list used in tournament games in the United States is known as the Official Tournament and Club Word List, created by the National Scrabble Association.

Scrabble: Four-letter “Z” Words

A to E

ADZE (a woodworking tool)AZAN (a call to prayer)AZON (a type of bomb)BIZE (alternate of bise, a cold wind)BOZO (a foolish person)BUZZ (sound of vibration)CHEZ (home)COZY (providing comforting warmth)CZAR (a person with great power)DAZE (to stun)DOZE (to snooze)DOZY (half asleep)

F to J

FAZE (to cause hesitation)FIZZ (to become bubbly or foaming)FOZY (too ripe)FRIZ (alternate of frizz, to form into tight curls)FUTZ (to waste time)FUZE (part of a military munition)FUZZ (frizzy hair)GAZE (a long, fixed look)GEEZ (an exclamation)HAZE (atmospheric condition obscuring visibility)HAZY (indistinct)IZAR (a type of outer garment)JAZZ (a genre of music)JEEZ (an exclamation)

K to O

LAZE (to waste time)LAZY (unwilling to make an effort)LUTZ (a figure skating jump)MAZE (a complex system of paths)MAZY (like a maze)MEZE (small portions of appetizers)MOZO (an attendant to a bullfighter)NAZI (one who advocates Nazism)OOZE (to seep)OOZY (seeping)ORZO (a form of pasta)OUZO (a Greek alcoholic drink)OYEZ (traditional saying to open a court of law)

P to T

PHIZ (an obsolete term for face)PREZ (short for president)PUTZ (a fool, idiot)QUIZ (a test)RAZE (to tear down)RAZZ (to tease)RITZ (an ostentatious display of elegance)SIZE (how large something is)SIZY (viscid)SPAZ (a hyperactive person)TZAR (a person with great power)

U to Z

WHIZ (a skilled person)ZAGS (sharp turns)ZANY (buffoonish)ZAPS (electrical shocks)ZARF (an ornamental container)ZEAL (strong eagerness)ZEBU (a domesticated ox)ZEDS (plural of “z”)ZEES (plural of “z”)ZEIN (a type of protein)ZEKS (inmates in a Soviet labor camp)ZERK (a grease fitting)ZERO (nothing)ZEST (gusto)ZETA (sixth letter of the Greek alphabet)ZIGS (sharp turns)ZILL (a small metallic cymbal)ZINC (a metallic element)ZING (a high-pitched humming sound)ZIPS (moves very quickly)ZITI (a type of pasta)ZITS (plural of zit)ZOEA (larval stage of crustaceans)ZOIC (pertaining to animals)ZONE (a region)ZONK (an unfavorable card or token)ZOOM (to move quickly)ZOON (an animal; the sole product of a single egg)ZOOS (plural of zoo)ZORI (a Japanese sandal)ZYME (an enzyme)