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Definition, Scrabble score, anagrams & word-game reference
Yes. ESSAY is a valid Scrabble word in the UnscrambleTools dictionary (5 letters, 8 base points). It is suitable for casual Scrabble, Words with Friends practice, and anagram study; official tournament lists (NASPA/WESPA) may differ slightly.
Part of speech: noun
a tentative attempt
try, seek, attempt, assay, test, prove, try out, examine
Source: Princeton WordNet 3.1
ESSAY scores 8 points before board multipliers.
Letter counts: A×1, E×1, S×2, Y×1
ESSAY is a 5-letter answer slot candidate. Filter by length 5, starts with E, ends with Y, or contains letters from your crossing entries in the Crossword Solver and Pattern Finder.
Example: "ESSAY — a tentative attempt" (8 Scrabble points).
ESSAY is listed in the UnscrambleTools word-game dictionary used across our unscrambler, anagram, pattern, and scoring tools. Pages like this one exist so you can answer "Is ESSAY a Scrabble word?" with data — not guesswork — before you play a tile or fill a crossword slot.
ESSAY (noun): a tentative attempt. Additional senses: an analytic or interpretive literary composition; make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world"; put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe".
In standard Scrabble scoring, ESSAY totals 8 points before multipliers. That sum uses official letter values: common tiles (A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T, R) are worth 1, while D and G are 2, B, C, M, P are 3, F, H, V, W, Y are 4, K is 5, J and X are 8, and Q and Z are 10. ESSAY relies mostly on common tiles, which often makes it easier to play from a mixed rack but caps the raw ceiling compared with high-premium words.
ESSAY is 5 letters long, begins with E, ends with Y, and sorts to the alphagram AESSY. There is 1 anagram in this dictionary sharing that exact letter bag. Letter makeup: 2 vowels, 3 consonants.
Among 18 tracked 5-letter entries, ESSAY ranks by raw score (8 points). Anagram alternatives include EYASS — useful when you need the same tiles with a different hook letter. Similar-length words in the same dictionary include JAZZY, FEZZY, FIZZY, FUZZY; open their word pages to compare endings, vowel weight, and crossover potential.
Strategically, ESSAY carries 2 vowels and 3 consonants. Its consonant-heavy shape pairs well with open vowel dumps on the board. Hooks on E or Y are common study angles; browse words starting with E and words ending with Y to rehearse parallel sets.
ESSAY is a 5-letter answer slot candidate. Filter by length 5, starts with E, ends with Y, or contains letters from your crossing entries in the Crossword Solver and Pattern Finder. For American-style grids, 5-letter entries like ESSAY frequently cross shorter words; knowing that ESSAY contains A, E, S, Y helps you test crossing letters quickly. When you only know a few cells, open the Crossword Solver with a pattern such as e???y to narrow candidates before checking definitions.
Notable letter pairs inside ESSAY include AY, ES, SA — each links to a "contains" list for deeper drilling. Unique letters used: E, S, A, Y. Letter-frequency tables on this site are built from the same dictionary that powers the Word Unscrambler, so list pages and word pages stay consistent.
Use UnscrambleTools tools together: unscramble essay directly in the Word Unscrambler, rehearse rearrangements in the Anagram Solver, filter crossword slots in the Pattern Finder, and verify 8 points in the Scrabble Score Calculator. Daily puzzle hints and Wordle practice pages share the same dictionary backbone, which keeps scores and validity aligned across the site.
Etymology: UnscrambleTools does not publish a full historical etymology for every rare word-game entry. When we detect recognizable English prefixes or suffixes, we note them in the definition section; otherwise treat ESSAY as a playable vocabulary item for puzzles and study.
Example usage: Example: "ESSAY — a tentative attempt" (8 Scrabble points). If you are validating a tournament list, cross-check NASPA or WESPA references — our dictionary optimizes for practical word-game coverage, including obscure but legal entries that appear in casual Scrabble and crossword construction.