How many words end in VE?

This page lists 1171 words ending in VE, each with its Scrabble score.

Why are -VE words useful?

Words ending in VE are great for hooking onto existing tiles and pluralising or extending words already on the board.

Words Ending With VE

All 1171 words in our dictionary that end in VE, sorted by Scrabble score. Perfect for hooks and crossword clues.

1171 words · number = Scrabble score · sorted highest score first

excommunicative33 phosphorylative31 photooxidative30 approximative29 intersubjective29 chemoreceptive28 frequentative28 hyperaggressive28 hyperresponsive28 justificative28 nonacquisitive28 photoconductive28 superexpensive28 exteroceptive27 nonexploitative27 nonquantitative27 nonsubjective27 psychoactive27 supereffective27 adjudicative26 cryoprotective26 hyperreactive26 incommunicative26 inequivalve26 nonobjective26 photoreceptive26 ultraexclusive26 uncommunicative26 accommodative25 acquisitive25 comprehensive25 conjunctive25 excogitative25 exhibitive25 exhilarative25 expectative25 explicative25 extrapolative25 hypersensitive25 maladjustive25 nonexploitive25 photoinductive25 proprioceptive25 subjunctive25 superconductive25 anticompetitive24 commemorative24 communicative24 disjunctive24 exaggerative24 exfoliative24 exhortative24 exploitative24 hyperactive24 imperfective24 inexpressive24 irreflexive24 nonexclusive24 nonexecutive24 nonexplosive24 overimaginative24 overprotective24 projective24 quantitative24 subcontraoctave24 subjective24 unexpressive24 adjunctive23 apperceptive23 bijective23 coextensive23 exceptive23 exhaustive23 explanative23 explorative23 hypertensive23 immunoreactive23 imperceptive23 inappreciative23 inexpensive23 inquisitive23 multiplicative23 neoconservative23 noncommutative23 noncompetitive23 nonconservative23 nonconsumptive23 noneffective23 nonreproductive23 objective23 overtalkative23 photoemissive23 photopositive23 prognosticative23 qualitative23 radioprotective23 retroreflective23 unappreciative23 adjective22 affirmative22 affricative22 anticonvulsive22 antireflective22 antispeculative22 antisubversive22 apprehensive22 appropriative22 commiserative22 confederative22 configurative22 conglomerative22 contemplative22 contraceptive22 cryopreserve22 deconstructive22 discriminative22 electropositive22 excitative22 execrative22 exploitive22 expositive22 expressive22 extinctive22 extractive22 foxglove22 hypotensive22 ineffective22 injunctive22 intussusceptive22 nonconstructive22 nondescriptive22 overachieve22 overaggressive22 participative22 pejorative22 performative22 photonegative22 photosensitive22 precipitative22 prefigurative22 putrefactive22 reciprocative22 reflexive22 rehabilitative22 significative22 spokeshave22 suffocative22 surjective22 transformative22 uncompetitive22 accumulative21 afflictive21 antiderivative21 antiprogressive21 appreciative21 champleve21 compensative21 conflictive21 consummative21 contrapositive21 disaggregative21 electronegative21 excessive21 exclusive21 excursive21 executive21 exonerative21 expansive21 expensive21 expletive21 explosive21 expulsive21 fixative21 injective21 noncombative21 nonconductive21 nonconsecutive21 noncooperative21 nonproductive21 nonspeculative21 photoengrave21 premeditative21 prescriptive21 prohibitive21 proliferative21 proscriptive21 provocative21 reconstructive21 reduplicative21 rejective21 reverberative21 syncopative21 unconstructive21 undemonstrative21 underachieve21 uninformative21 unperceptive21 acculturative20 adjustive20 administrative20 affective20 agglomerative20 applicative20 collaborative20 combinative20 commutative20 comparative20 competitive20 compressive20 concentrative20 conservative20 consumptive20 contaminative20 convective20 corresponsive20 corroborative20 counteractive20 deformative20 depreciative20 deverbative20 effective20 ejective20 exudative20 facilitative20 fermentative20 implicative20 inconsecutive20 incorporative20 inoffensive20 interoceptive20 introspective20 investigative20 misconceive20 misperceive20 nociceptive20 nonabsorptive20 noncumulative20 nondeceptive20 nonderivative20 nondestructive20 nondistinctive20 nonfigurative20 noninfective20 nonpermissive20 nonprogressive20 nonradioactive20 oxidative20 perfective20 perspective20 postoperative20 precognitive20 preconceive20 preservative20 presumptive20 preventative20 prospective20 recriminative20 redistributive20 reprehensive20 reproductive20 retrospective20 uncombative20 uncooperative20 unproductive20 unreflective20 vindicative20 vituperative20 accelerative19 acetylative19 adumbrative19 advocative19 aftershave19 apperceive19 argumentative19 authoritative19 capacitive19 combustive19 completive19 compulsive19 conceptive19 conciliative19 concoctive19 confutative19 consecrative19 constrictive19 constructive19 contraoctave19 contributive19 decongestive19 deflective19 demonstrative19 descriptive19 desiccative19 determinative19 diffusive19 disintegrative19 drawshave19 duplicative19 evaporative19 exclave19 extensive19 extortive19 extrusive19 facultative19 gesticulative19 hereinabove19 inconclusive19 indistinctive19 informative19 interoperative19 interpretative19 irrespective19 maladaptive19 manipulative19 microgroove19 microwave19 misbehave19 nonaddictive19 nondeductive19 nondiscursive19 nondispersive19 nondisruptive19 nonevaluative19 noninteractive19 nonpurposive19 nonrestrictive19 nonretroactive19 overassertive19 oversensitive19 perceptive19 posteruptive19 postpositive19 preadaptive19 preapprove19 preceptive19 predicative19 preemptive19 preoperative19 propagative19 recuperative19 redintegrative19 reformative19 repercussive19 representative19 subordinative19 substantiative19 supermassive19 supersensitive19 unimaginative19 unimpressive19 unprogressive19 vindictive19 abstractive18 acceptive18 advective18 adversative18 agglutinative18 anticorrosive18 appellative18 architrave18 asseverative18 augmentative18 biconcave18 carminative18 circulative18 combative18 conductive18 consecutive18 contractive18 convulsive18 cookstove18 cooperative18 coordinative18 corporative18 countermove18 defective18 deliberative18 denominative18 denunciative18 devastative18 disapprove18 disincentive18 dissociative18 distributive18 embracive18 evacuative18 exertive18 gravitative18 impactive18 inchoative18 infiltrative18 inflective18 inflictive18 inhibitive18 inscriptive18 interdictive18 interinvolve18 interpolative18 introversive18 khedive18 laxative18 lubricative18 motivative18 nonadhesive18 nonaggressive18 nonautomotive18 noncoercive18 noncognitive18 nondirective18 noninductive18 nonresponsive18 nuncupative18 obstructive18 offensive18 outachieve18 overactive18 persecutive18 perversive18 predictive18 preparative18 prepositive18 preventive18 procreative18 productive18 protractive18 radiosensitive18 ratiocinative18 rebarbative18 redemptive18 reflective18 refractive18 remonstrative18 replicative18 reprobative18 resuscitative18 retrodictive18 shortwave18 skydive18 skydove18 speculative18 subcurative18 subtractive18 subversive18 suffusive18 suppressive18 suppurative18 transmutative18 uninstructive18 unreceptive18 vasoactive18 zouave18 absorptive17 accusative17 aggregative17 ameliorative17 anticreative17 appetitive17 appointive17 appositive17 appraisive17 argumentive17 articulative17 ascriptive17 assimilative17 assumptive17 collective17 colligative17 concessive17 conclusive17 concussive17 conducive17 connective17 constitutive17 consultative17 continuative17 copulative17 corrective17 corruptive17 cumulative17 cunctative17 deceptive17 declarative17 definitive17 degenerative17 degradative17 derivative17 desiderative17 destructive17 deteriorative17 diapositive17 dispositive17 dissipative17 distinctive17 distractive17 effusive17 elucidative17 evocative17 factitive17 federative17 figurative17 formative17 fricative17 germinative17 illuminative17 imaginative17 imperative17 impressive17 imputative17 incubative17 infective17 inspective17 intellective17 interpretive17 interrogative17 interruptive17 introgressive17 invective17 irresponsive17 jussive17 locomotive17 misbelieve17 nonadaptive17 noncorrosive17 nonimitative17 noninvasive17 nonnormative17 nonoperative17 nonselective17 normotensive17 obliterative17 opinionative17 oppressive17 percussive17 permeative17 permissive17 pervasive17 preclusive17 prerogative17 presentative17 privative17 progressive17 propulsive17 protective17 radioactive17 reconceive17 reeducative17 reintegrative17 remunerative17 renunciative17 respective17 retrogressive17 seropositive17 shirtsleeve17 submissive17 substitutive17 successive17 superwave17 suppletive17 supportive17 susceptive17 transgressive17 transmissive17 ultrasensitive17 unaggressive17 unattractive17 uncoercive17 underactive17 uninventive17 unpersuasive17 unresponsive17 vegetative17 accretive16 addictive16 adductive16 adsorptive16 adventive16 antinarrative16 arbitrative16 associative16 attributive16 bioactive16 calmative16 coevolve16 cogitative16 cohesive16 commove16 congestive16 connotative16 contrastive16 convolve16 correlative16 decorative16 deductive16 defensive16 denigrative16 depressive16 designative16 detractive16 diminutive16 disbelieve16 discursive16 dismissive16 dispersive16 disruptive16 ditransitive16 dominative16 elaborative16 eliminative16 enumerative16 evaluative16 evincive16 forgetive16 impassive16 implosive16 impulsive16 inceptive16 indecisive16 indicative16 infinitive16 innovative16 inoculative16 inoperative16 instinctive16 instructive16 interactive16 interfluve16 interweave16 meditative16 meliorative16 mitigative16 neuroactive16 nonabrasive16 nonadditive16 noncreative16 nonelective16 nonpunitive16 nonreactive16 occlusive16 overdrive16 overdrove16 pendentive16 penetrative16 personative16 placative16 primitive16 proactive16 probative16 promotive16 purposive16 reapprove16 receptive16 regenerative16 renovative16 restrictive16 retributive16 retroactive16 segregative16 semibreve16 seronegative16 sporulative16 stimulative16 substantive16 summative16 superlative16 talkative16 terminative16 unobtrusive16 unselective16 vocative16 vomitive16 woodstove16 absolutive15 achieve15 adhesive15 admissive15 aggressive15 alliterative15 archive15 attractive15 automotive15 beehive15 behoove15 bivalve15 coactive15 coercive15 cognitive15 conceive15 conclave15 constative15 consultive15 contortive15 crescive15 decretive15 degressive15 delineative15 depletive15 derogative15 detective15 digressive15 directive15 divisive15 educative15 estimative15 fictive15 fugitive15 hortative15 illustrative15 inductive15 instigative15 integrative15 interwove15 intransitive15 inventive15 inversive15 irradiative15 lacerative15 ladylove15 legislative15 limitative15 mediative15 nominative15 nonassertive15 nonintrusive15 nonintuitive15 nonnarrative15 nonnegative15 nonnutritive15 nonpassive15 nonsensitive15 originative15 palliative15 palsgrave15 perceive15 persuasive15 possessive15 protensive15 protrusive15 purgative15 recitative15 recreative15 reductive15 reparative15 repetitive15 repressive15 resorptive15 responsive15 revulsive15 ruminative15 seductive15 separative15 simulative15 suggestive15 suspensive15 sustentative15 ulcerative15 uncreative15 undeceive15 upheave15 vegetive15 violative15 wharve15 wherve15 adaptive14 adoptive14 alternative14 antitussive14 approve14 ascensive14 assortative14 autoclave14 aversive14 behave14 behove14 burgrave14 captive14 caressive14 causative14 coderive14 collusive14 concave14 corrasive14 corrosive14 decisive14 denotative14 detonative14 devolve14 digestive14 disprove14 dissuasive14 eductive14 emanative14 emulative14 forgave14 forgive14 generative14 gerundive14 imitative14 improve14 inattentive14 incentive14 inclusive14 indurative14 infusive14 ingressive14 insensitive14 insinuative14 invasive14 irruptive14 jive14 lucrative14 mangrove14 margrave14 misdrive14 misdrove14 mismove14 nonrelative14 normative14 obsessive14 obtrusive14 operative14 overlive14 overlove14 oversave14 partitive14 plaintive14 pollutive14 portative14 postdive14 prelusive14 recessive14 reclusive14 recursive14 redissolve14 regressive14 regulative14 reiterative14 reobserve14 repulsive14 restorative14 retaliative14 seclusive14 secretive14 seducive14 selective14 titillative14 translative14 trivalve14 turtledove14 unassertive14 univalve14 upcurve14 uphove14 volitive14 ablative13 abortive13 abrasive13 additive13 aggrieve13 agitative13 airwave13 annotative13 assaultive13 chive13 codrive13 codrove13 conative13 conserve13 contrive13 creative13 curative13 deceive13 decurve13 deprave13 deprive13 detersive13 elective13 emissive13 emulsive13 enactive13 erective13 eruptive13 evasive13 festive13 furtive13 inactive13 incisive13 ingestive13 initiative13 interleave13 involve13 inweave13 irrelative13 irritative13 laudative13 locative13 misgave13 misgive13 monitive13 mutative13 omissive13 optative13 orective13 outbrave13 outcurve13 plausive13 positive13 predive13 preserve13 punitive13 putative13 radiative13 reactive13 reengrave13 reprieve13 reshave13 revolve13 reweave13 ringdove13 shrieve13 sorptive13 sportive13 subserve13 survive13 tolerative13 tractive13 transitive13 unweave13 absolve12 abusive12 agentive12 amative12 amusive12 assertive12 assuasive12 attentive12 auditive12 believe12 bereave12 connive12 costive12 cursive12 delusive12 denotive12 derisive12 dilative12 dilutive12 disserve12 dissolve12 donative12 durative12 egestive12 emotive12 enclave12 ergative12 evolve12 genitive12 ideative12 incurve12 intensive12 intrusive12 intuitive12 inwove12 iterative12 keeve12 knave12 ligative12 massive12 mislive12 missive12 narrative12 negative12 nonnative12 nosedive12 nutritive12 observe12 ostensive12 outdrive12 outdrove12 outmove12 passive12 pensive12 plosive12 receive12 recurve12 regroove12 reprove12 resistive12 retentive12 revive12 rewove12 scrieve12 sedative12 sensitive12 sheave12 sheeve12 shelve12 shrive12 shrove12 skive12 swerve12 tentative12 thieve12 thrave12 thrive12 throve12 twelve12 unreserve12 unwove12 updive12 updove12 visive12 votive12 active11 alcove11 allusive11 belive11 cleave11 deleave11 deserve11 dissave11 engrave11 fauve11 gyve11 halve11 heave11 helve11 illative11 illusive11 lenitive11 motive11 octave11 outgave11 outgive11 outserve11 pareve11 redrive11 redrove11 relative11 remove11 repave11 restrive11 restrove11 retrieve11 rotative11 sanative11 scrive11 shave11 shive11 shove11 swive11 truelove11 unglove11 valve11 varve11 verve11 waive11 weave11 above10 brave10 breve10 calve10 carve10 clave10 clove10 crave10 curve10 dative10 derive10 elative10 elusive10 endive10 enslave10 erosive10 fave10 five10 glaive10 greave10 grieve10 groove10 have10 hive10 hove10 innerve10 mauve10 outlive10 outlove10 outrave10 parve10 peeve10 poove10 prove10 regave10 regive10 relieve10 reserve10 resolve10 restive10 stative10 suasive10 tensive10 tussive10 unitive10 unnerve10 unreeve10 vive10 wave10 wive10 wove10 agave9 arrive9 cave9 cove9 deave9 delve9 drave9 drive9 drove9 glove9 grave9 grove9 move9 native9 ogive9 pave9 releve9 relive9 sleave9 sleeve9 starve9 steeve9 strive9 strove9 unlive9 unrove9 alive8 dive8 dove8 gave8 give8 leave8 lieve8 naive8 nerve8 nieve8 olive8 reave8 reeve8 reive8 salve8 serve8 sieve8 slave8 soave8 solve8 stave8 stove8 suave8 trave8 trove8 eave7 lave7 live7 love7 nave7 neve7 rave7 rive7 rove7 save7 ave6 eve6

Hooking with -VE words

Endings like -VE let you tack a word onto a tile already on the board, often turning a small play into a big one. Look for the high-value entries above to maximise points.

What the numbers say

Inside this list: 1171 words spanning 3–15 letters. The biggest cluster sits at 10 letters (176 words), 62 entries are Wordle-sized at five letters, and 95 run to seven — bingo length if you can empty the rack. For points, the ceiling is EXCOMMUNICATIVE, worth 33.

Chasing points? The best five entries here are EXCOMMUNICATIVE (33), PHOSPHORYLATIVE (31), PHOTOOXIDATIVE (30), APPROXIMATIVE (29), INTERSUBJECTIVE (29). ANTICOMPETITIVE (15 letters) stretches furthest, while the list-wide average score sits near 16 points. Letter-wise, E is the workhorse — it appears in 1171 of these words, ahead of V (1171) and I (988).

Three words worth learning first

ARRIVE earns 9 points from just 6 tiles — and it is a word few opponents will bother to challenge.
NATIVE is easy to keep in memory: 6 letters, 9 points, and no awkward tiles to hunt for.
RELEVE — a 6-letter, 9-point play that slots into tight board lanes where longer words won't fit.

Round out your set with RELIVE (9), SLEAVE (9), SLEEVE (9), STARVE (9), STEEVE (9) — all built from common tiles.

-VE as a board weapon

Endings are Scrabble's cheapest points. A word finishing in -VE can often be built backwards from a tile already on the board, so you pay for fewer letters than you score. Scan the high scorers above, then look for a spot where the final -VE lands on a premium square — the multiplier applies to your whole word, not just the hook.

More endings

Narrow it down

Pair an ending with a length or starting letter in the Word Finder.