Words Ending in LY
Browse all 60 English words ending in LY in the WordFinderHQ dictionary.
Why words ending in LY are crossword gold
The -LY ending marks adverbs — quickly, softly, barely — and it's a crossword constructor's favorite. When a clue asks for an adverb, the answer almost always ends in LY, which collapses a wide-open grid into a short, searchable list like the one below.
In Scrabble, -LY is less common than -ED or -ER, which is exactly why it's worth knowing: opponents rarely guard against it, and the Y is a 4-point tile that lands nicely on premium squares. Standouts include effectively (25), frequently (25) and quickly (25).
Browse all 60 words ending in LY below, or filter by length with the crossword solver using a pattern like ????ly.
All 60 words ending in LY
- absolutely
- actually
- apply
- aptly
- assembly
- belly
- certainly
- clearly
- completely
- curly
- currently
- daily
- directly
- early
- easily
- effectively
- especially
- exactly
- extremely
- family
- finally
- fly
- frequently
- friendly
- fully
- generally
- highly
- holy
- immediately
- italy
- july
- kelly
- likely
- monthly
- mostly
- nearly
- newly
- normally
- only
- originally
- particularly
- possibly
- previously
- probably
- properly
- quickly
- really
- recently
- relatively
- rely
- reply
- simply
- slightly
- specifically
- supply
- totally
- truly
- ugly
- usually
- weekly
Longest Words Ending in "LY"
The ten longest "LY"-ending words in our dictionary — great for crossword slots and big Scrabble racks:
- particularly (12 letters)
- specifically (12 letters)
- effectively (11 letters)
- immediately (11 letters)
- absolutely (10 letters)
- completely (10 letters)
- especially (10 letters)
- frequently (10 letters)
- originally (10 letters)
- previously (10 letters)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many English words end in LY?
Our dictionary lists 60 common words ending in LY.
Why do so many words end in LY?
LY is the standard adverb ending in English — it turns adjectives like quick and soft into quickly and softly.
Are -LY words good in Scrabble?
Yes — LY is rarer than ED or ER, so rivals rarely block it, and the 4-point Y scores well on premium squares.
What is the highest-scoring word ending in LY?
effectively at 25 points, followed by frequently and quickly.