Silent letters in English are letters we write but do not pronounce. Words such as knife, plumber, and island contain silent letters that shape spelling but vanish in speech. They come from history, borrowings, and old pronunciation rules that English kept in writing.
In this article, you will learn A to Z silent letters, see words with silent consonants, and study lists with examples to make learning easier in classrooms and everyday conversation.
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What are Silent Letters?
Silent letters are letters in English words that are written but not spoken. They remain in spelling because English kept its old forms even after sounds disappeared in speech.
Common examples include:
- k in knife, knee, knock
- h in honest, hour, heir
- b in thumb, debt, climb
- w in write, wrist, wreck
- g in gnome, sign, design
100+ Common Words with Silent Letters in English
English spelling has many words where letters stay unspoken but still shape the word. These silent letters appear in different places and follow useful patterns. Below is a list of over 100 common words with silent letters arranged for easy learning.
- comb
- thumb
- lamb
- bomb
- climb
- numb
- tomb
- doubt
- debt
- plumb
- scissors
- muscle
- scene
- scent
- ascend
- descend
- fascinate
- obscene
- handkerchief
- Wednesday
- sandwich
- handsome
- edge
- bridge
- badge
- knowledge
- like
- name
- come
- love
- breathe
- drive
- hope
- hate
- give
- have
- sign
- foreign
- gnaw
- align
- reign
- design
- campaign
- champagne
- gnome
- hour
- honest
- heir
- honor
- ghost
- rhyme
- what
- when
- where
- whether
- knife
- knee
- knot
- knock
- know
- knowledge
- calf
- half
- walk
- talk
- yolk
- folk
- salmon
- calm
- palm
- chalk
- autumn
- column
- hymn
- psychology
- pneumonia
- psychiatrist
- receipt
- pseudo
- psalm
- island
- aisle
- debris
- castle
- listen
- whistle
- fasten
- mortgage
- soften
- often
- ballet
- gourmet
- depot
- guess
- guitar
- guide
- guest
- tongue
- biscuit
- circuit
Complete List of A to Z Words with Silent Letters
Silent letters appear across many English words. Each letter has its own rules and examples. Below are A to Z lists arranged with their common words.
Words with Silent A
- bread
- head
- ready
- spread
- instead
- dead
- dread
- steady
- meadow
- already
- thread
- ahead
- reading
- health
- feather
Words with Silent B
- thumb
- climb
- lamb
- plumber
- debt
- doubt
- subtle
- numb
- crumb
- dumb
- succumb
- aplomb
- bomb
- limb
- comb
- jamb
- womb
- catacomb
- clamber
- doubtless
Words with Silent C
- scissors
- muscle
- scene
- science
- fascinate
- ascend
- descend
- crescent
- obscene
- discipline
- resuscitate
- scent
- sceptic
- sceptical
- abscess
- acquiesce
- incandescent
- conscience
- miscue
- miscellaneous
Words with Silent D
- Wednesday
- handkerchief
- bridge
- sandwich
- ledger
- edge
- badge
- judge
- grudge
- knowledge
- handsome
- adjourn
- advancement
- judgment
- hedge
- sledge
- smudge
- dodger
- pledge
Words with Silent G
- gnome
- gnat
- sign
- design
- foreign
- align
- reign
- campaign
- consign
- malign
- paradigm
- gnash
- gnaw
- gnarl
- impugn
- sovereign
- champagne
- assignment
- poignant
- benignant
Words with Silent H
- honest
- hour
- heir
- honor
- vehicle
- ghost
- exhaust
- shepherd
- rhyme
- rhythm
- exhibition
- exhume
- homage
- herb (US)
- humanitarian
- humor
- hospital
- honesty
- human
- humility
Words with Silent K
- knife
- knee
- know
- knock
- knob
- kneel
- knit
- knowledge
- knapsack
- knuckle
- knight
- knot
- knockdown
- knockout
- knoll
- kneecap
- knavery
- knurl
- knack
- knighthood
Words with Silent L
- calm
- half
- would
- yolk
- salmon
- talk
- walk
- folk
- palm
- chalk
- should
- could
- balm
- stalk
- alms
- realm
- psalm
- colonel
- calf
- solder
Words with Silent N
- autumn
- hymn
- column
- condemn
- solemn
- damn
- mnemonic
- hymnal
- solemnly
- solemnity
- condemnable
- autumnal
- condemnation
- solemnization
- solemnised
- solemnness
- solemnize
- solemnized
- solemnising
- solemnisation
Words with Silent P
- psychology
- pneumonia
- psalm
- pterodactyl
- psychiatrist
- psychic
- pseudonym
- psilocybin
- psittacosis
- psalter
- pseudocode
- pterosaur
- pseudoscience
- psittacine
- pneumatic
- ptosis
- pterygoid
- psilophyte
- pseudopodia
- psoriasis
Words with Silent S
- island
- aisle
- viscount
- debris
- apropos
- chassis
- corps
- bourgeois
- Illinois
- rendezvous
- monsieur
- demesne
- brusque
- fras
- faux pas
- croissants
- hors d’oeuvre
- aristocracy
- apostrophe
- resuscitate
Words with Silent T
- castle
- ballet
- listen
- whistle
- often
- soften
- hustle
- apostle
- mortgage
- Christmas
- moisten
- pestle
- wrestle
- rapport
- gourmet
- crochet
- bristle
- nestle
- rustle
- subtle
Words with Silent U
- guess
- guitar
- bisciut
- guide
- tongue
- plague
- disguise
- vogue
- league
- antique
- fatigue
- unique
- conquer
- colleague
- catalogue
- dialogue
- cheque
- queue
- segue
- harass
Words with Silent W
- write
- wrong
- wrist
- wreck
- wreath
- wrinkle
- wring
- wrestle
- wrath
- wrap
- wretch
- wriggle
- wrung
- wrack
- wrangler
- wrest
- wry
- wrote
- wrackful
- wrackline
Words with Silent Letters at the Beginning
Some English words start with a letter that is written but not pronounced. These silent letters usually appear in words borrowed from Old English, French, or Greek. Knowing these helps you read and spell more confidently.
Silent K at the Beginning
Always silent before n.
- knife
- knee
- knock
- knob
- knight
- knapsack
- knuckle
- knowledge
Silent W at the Beginning
Silent before r or in who words.
- write
- wrist
- wreck
- wreath
- wrinkle
- wring
- wrap
- wrong
- who
- whole
- whom
Silent G at the Beginning
Rare, appears in a few words.
- gnome
- gnat
- gnash
- gnaw
- gnostic
- gnu
Silent P at the Beginning
Silent before s or n.
- psychology
- psychiatry
- psyche
- psalm
- pseudo
- pneumonia
- pneumatic
- pterodactyl
- ptarmigan
Silent H at the Beginning
Silent in some common and borrowed words.
- honest
- hour
- heir
- honour
- honor
- herb
Conclusion
Silent letters are part of English spelling patterns, and each one follows certain rules. By noticing them in words like knife, honest, or island, you can predict which letters are not pronounced. Learning these patterns makes reading easier and helps with accurate spelling. With practice, silent letters will feel less confusing and more natural whenever you come across them.
FAQs about Silent Letters
Silent letters exist because of changes in pronunciation, borrowings from other languages, and historical spellings that were kept over time.
Yes. For example, k is always silent before n, gh is silent in many middle or ending positions, and p is silent before s, n, or t.
The silent e is the most common, especially at the end of words, because it changes the vowel sound before it
They do both. Silent letters preserve original meanings and spelling, but they can also make English harder for learners to read and write.
Yes. Some silent letters appear in one variety but not the other, or the word may be spelled differently in each version.
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