The Ultimate Guide to 5-Letter Words Starting With M

Whether you’re solving today’s Wordle, strategizing in Scrabble, or expanding your vocabulary, 5-letter words starting with M are essential for word game success. From everyday terms like “money” and “music” to high-scoring plays like “mixup” and “myrrh,” the letter M offers countless possibilities.

This guide covers over a hundred 5-letter M words, organized by category for quick reference. You’ll find common words, rare gems, and strategic options perfect for winning tough rounds.

Looking for other types of words, like verbs starting with M? QuillBot’s free AI Chat can show you lists for any category or theme.

5-letter words starting with M: The complete list

This list includes common and rare 5-letter words that start with M, organized by the first two letters of each word. Check out the groups below to find the perfect words for your game, project, or lesson.

  • MA: macho, macro, madam, mafia, magic, major, maker, mambo, mamma,  mango, manga, mania, manor, maple, march, match, maxim, maybe, mayor, maize, manic, marsh
  • ME: mealy, meant, meats, meaty, mecca, medal, media, medic, melee, melon, mercy, merge, merit, merry, messy, metal, meter, metro, meets, mends, meows
  • MI: micro, midst, might, mimic, mince, miner, minor, minus, mirth, miser, misty, mixed, mixer, milky, minty, mites, mills, minds
  • MO: mocha, modal, model, modem, moist, moldy, money, month, moody, moral, morph, mossy, motel, motif, motor, motto, mound, mount, mouse, mouth, movie, mower, modes, monks, moose, moped
  • MU: mucus, muddy, mulch, mummy, munch, mural, murky, mushy, music, musky, musty, muted, mules, mumps, muons
  • MY: myrrh, myths, mynah

Best 5-letter Wordle openers starting with M

Looking for a strong first guess? These M words pack in common vowels and frequently used consonants to help you narrow down the puzzle fast.

  • MOIST: Contains three vowels (O, I) plus the high-frequency letters S and T for maximum early information
  • MOUNT: Covers two vowels (O, U) with common consonants N and T, testing multiple letter positions
  • MINOR: Includes two vowels (I, O) plus frequently used letters N and R for solid coverage
  • MEDIA: Packs three vowels (E, I, A), making it ideal for quickly identifying vowel placement
  • MOUSE: Tests three vowels (O, U, E) along with the common letter S
  • MIXER: Combines two vowels (I, E) with useful consonants X and R for varied letter testing
  • MAKER: Features two vowels (A, E) plus common letters K and R for reliable early clues

High-scoring 5-letter words that start with M

If you’re looking for a strong 5-letter M word in Scrabble or Words With Friends, go for options with high-value letters like Z, Y, or K to maximize your score beyond the 3-point value of M in Scrabble and 4-point value in Words With Friends.

Word Scrabble Words With Friends
muzzy 28 29
mucky 16 18
murky 14 15
milky 14 15
myrrh 13 12
myths 13 12
Tip: Suffixes
Suffixes allow you to expand or modify root words, often to indicate tense or form comparative adjectives or adverbs. Here are common suffixes found in or that can extend 5-letter M words:

  • -ed (past tense or adjective form)
    Examples: mated, muted, mixed, milled
  • -er (comparative or agent noun)
    Examples: mixer, maker, miler (someone who runs a mile)
  • -ly (adverb form) and -y (adjective form)
    Examples: madly, manly, mealy, minty, misty, muddy, murky, mushy

5-letter words that start with M sorted by ending letter

If you’re looking for a 5-letter word that starts with M and ends with a specific letter, you can easily find it using the table below.

5-letter words that start with M sorted by ending letter
Ends with Word options
A Mafia, mamma, manga, mania, manta, mecca, media, mensa, mocha
C Magic, manic, medic, mimic, music
D Maced, mated, mazed, mixed, moped, mound, moved, muted
E Maize, maple, maybe, melee, merge, mince, moose, mouse, movie
F Motif
H March, marsh, match, mirth,  month, morph, mouth, mulch, munch, mynah, myrrh
L Medal, metal, modal, model, mogul, moral, motel, mural
M Maxim, madam, modem
N Mason, melon, moron
O Macho, macro, mambo, mango, metro, micro,  motto
R Major, maker, manor, mater, mayor, meter, miner, minor, mixer, molar, motor, mower
S Maids, makes, males, malls, malts, manes, marks, masks, masts, mates, meats, meets, melts, mends, menus, meows, minus, mites, moats, mocks, modes, monks, moods, moons, moors, moths, moves, mucus, mules, muons, mumps, myths
T Meant, merit, midst, might, moist, mount
Y Madly, manly, marry, mealy, meaty, mercy, merry, messy, milky, minty, misty, moldy, money, moody, mossy, mousy, mucky, muddy, muggy, mummy, murky, mushy, musky, musty

Advanced 5-letter words that start with M

For the true word enthusiasts, here is some more advanced vocabulary starting with M:

  • Motet: A short piece of sacred choral music, typically polyphonic and unaccompanied
  • Mulct: To extract money from someone by fine or taxation; to defraud or swindle
  • Mucro: A sharp point or tip, especially at the end of a leaf or organ
  • Meson: Any member of a family of subatomic particles composed of a quark and an antiquark
  • Moire: A fabric with a rippled or wavy appearance; a watered pattern
  • Mahoe: A tropical tree with hibiscus-like flowers, native to the Caribbean
  • Mitis: Mild or gentle in nature; not severe

Frequently asked questions about 5-letter words that start with M

What are some 5-letter words that start with M and end in E?

Common examples of 5-letter words that start with M and end in E include:

  • Maple
  • Mauve
  • Melee
  • Mouse
  • Morse
  • Moire

QuillBot’s free AI Chat can help you find many more 5-letter words that start with the letter M.

What are some 5-letter words that start with M and end in H?

Here are some 5-letter words that start with M and end in H:

  • March
  • Merch
  • Morph
  • Month
  • Mouth
  • Mulch
  • Munch
  • Mynah
  • Myrrh

Need more words that fit a certain pattern? QuillBot’s AI Chat can help you find them.

What are some 5-letter words that start with M and end in Y?

Here are some 5-letter words that start with M and end in Y:

  • Madly
  • Mammy
  • Manly
  • Marry
  • Meaty
  • Merry
  • Mercy
  • Minty
  • Misty
  • Moody
  • Muddy
  • Murky

QuillBot’s free AI Chat can help you find more 5-letter words that start with M and end with specific letters.

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Nikolopoulou, K. (2026, February 05). The Ultimate Guide to 5-Letter Words Starting With M. Quillbot. Retrieved February 8, 2026, from https://quillbot.com/blog/word-finder/5-letter-words-that-start-with-m/

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Kassiani Nikolopoulou, MSc

Kassiani has an academic background in Communication, Bioeconomy and Circular Economy. As a former journalist she enjoys turning complex information into easily accessible articles to help others.

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