What is the highest-scoring 9-letter word starting with X?

XENOPHOBY scores 26 points, the highest of the 72 valid 9-letter words starting with X in the SOWPODS dictionary.

How many 9-letter words starting with X are there in Scrabble?

There are 72 valid 9-letter words starting with X in the SOWPODS (international) dictionary.

How many points is the letter X worth in Scrabble?

X is worth 8 points on a standard Scrabble tile.

9 Letter Words Starting with X

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July 30, 2026 7 min read Word Finder

9-letter words starting with X: 72 valid plays. X is one of Scrabble's four power tiles, worth 8 points on its own. The top scorer is XENOPHOBY (26 points). For context, the typical letter in this position gives you around 2054 words, so X comes in below that.

Why X at the Start Matters

💡 Tile Value

Every word in this list already carries an X, so you're banking 8 points before any multiplier lands on it — land it on a Double or Triple Letter Score and the swing is large.

Because you place the first letter, 9-letter words starting with X work well for parallel plays — starting a new word alongside one already on the board without touching it.

Notable Words

Highest scorer: XENOPHOBY is worth 26 points — X's 8 points plus the rest of the tiles in the word. It's the play to look for if you're building toward a big turn.

Worth memorising first: XANTHAMID (22 points) is one of the lower scorers here, which usually means it's a more familiar word — a safer one to keep in your working vocabulary than the obscure high scorers.

How many options: 72 valid 9-letter words starting with X exist in SOWPODS — fewer than the ~2054 typical for this slot, so it's realistic to learn most of the useful ones.

Try This on the Board

🧩 Worked Example

Play XENOPHOBY through a Double Word Score square and it scores 52 points instead of 26 — worth chasing when you have the tiles and the board opens up that square.