Is BACKWATER a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, BACKWATER is a valid word in US Scrabble and UK Scrabble, worth 20 points.
Base score before bonus squares; blank tiles score zero.
What does BACKWATER mean?
- noun
a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by being held or forced back by a dam
“the bayous and backwaters are breeding grounds for mosquitos”
- noun
a place or condition in which no development or progress is occurring
“the country is an economic backwater”
Definitions from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University.
Points
- Scrabble
- 20
- Words With Friends
- 22
- Letters
- 9
B (3) + A (1) + C (3) + K (5) + W (4) + A (1) + T (1) + E (1) + R (1) = 20 points in Scrabble.
Dictionary status
- Scrabble (US & Canada)Valid
- Scrabble (UK & worldwide)Valid
- Words With FriendsListed
Scrabble lists: NWL2023 (US & Canada) and CSW24 (UK & worldwide). WWF uses our ENABLE reference plus verified additions. “Listed” and “Not listed” describe that reference; check acceptance in the game. Sources reviewed 2026-10-03.
Hooks for BACKWATER
Single letters that turn BACKWATER into another valid word in US Scrabble. Hooks let you extend a word already on the board.
Front hooks0
None. Nothing can be added to the front.
Back hooks1
Words you can make from BACKWATER
The 60 highest-scoring words using these letters.
- bracket15
- wacker15
- backer14
- wacke14
- wrack14
- wreck14
- aback13
- bawk13
- wack13
- racket12
- retack12
- tacker12
- awake12
- tweak12
- twerk12
- waker12
- wreak12
- back12
- beck12
- abreact11
- bearcat11
- cabaret11
- baker11
- brake11
- break11
- crake11
- creak11
- kabar11
- kebar11
- track11
- wake11
- wark11
- weak11
- weka11
- karate10
- bake10
- bark10
- beak10
- berk10
- cake10
- cark10
- kbar10
- kerb10
- rack10
- reck10
- tack10
- acerb9
- barca9
- brace9
- bract9
- caber9
- karat9
- taker9
- braw9
- brew9
- craw9
- crew9
- ack9
- kab9
- abater8
Study BACKWATER and related words
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