JINX means a person, thing, or influence believed to bring bad luck; a curse or spell. As a verb, it means to bring bad luck to someone. With both J and X worth 8 points each, it's a powerful 18-point play in Scrabble.
Yes. JINX is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 18 points in Scrabble, 21 in Words With Friends and 20 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | J | I | N | X | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 8 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 18 |
| Words With Friends | 10 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 21 |
| Wordfeud | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 20 |
JINX is a noun and verb that refers to something or someone believed to bring bad luck. The word captures the superstitious belief that certain people, objects, or actions can curse someone with misfortune. In its verb form, to jinx means to cast bad luck upon someone or something.
The word encompasses several related meanings:
In Scrabble and word games, JINX is exceptionally valuable because it contains two premium letters: J (8 points) and X (8 points). This makes it one of the highest-scoring 4-letter words, especially when placed strategically on multiplier squares.
The word jinx has a fascinating etymology rooted in American folklore and superstition. It derives from the name of a bird called the wryneck (genus Jynx), particularly Jynx torquilla.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of JINX.
Hooks: no front hooks; no back hooks.
Words inside JINX: 4 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: JINNIXXIIN. See all words from JINX.