v-o-i-d
VOID means empty space, nothingness, or to invalidate something. This versatile word functions as a noun, verb, and adjective. In word games, it's a solid 4-letter play featuring the valuable V (4 points).
8
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
VOID is a remarkably versatile word that expresses the concept of emptiness, nothingness, or invalidity across multiple parts of speech. Its flexibility makes it valuable both in everyday language and word games.
In word games, VOID is worth 8 base points in Scrabble. The V (4 points) provides good scoring potential for a common 4-letter word, making it a reliable play when you need to use challenging letters.
"Void" comes from Old French "voide," derived from Latin "vocivus" or "vacuus," meaning "empty" or "vacant." The Latin root "vacare" (to be empty) also gave us "vacant," "vacuum," and "evacuate."
By the 14th century, "void" had acquired legal meaning ("null and void") and philosophical significance ("the void" as absolute nothingness). This dual development reflects medieval scholastic thought merging with practical law.
"The word 'void' has served humanity's need to name the nameless - from legal nullification to cosmic emptiness."
The phrase "null and void" is actually redundant - both words mean essentially the same thing. This legal doublet arose from the Norman conquest when French and English legal terms were often paired for clarity.
In computer programming, "void" functions are crucial - they perform actions without returning values. The term was popularized by the C programming language in the 1970s.
VOID can form valuable compound words in Scrabble: AVOID (9 pts), DEVOID (11 pts), and OVOID (9 pts), making it a strategic building block for higher scores.
"The Void" has been a central concept in philosophy from ancient Buddhism to modern existentialism, representing everything from spiritual emptiness to cosmic nothingness.
"The contract was declared void due to fraudulent misrepresentation, releasing both parties from their obligations."
"Staring into the void of space, the astronaut contemplated humanity's place in the infinite cosmos."
"Playing VOID using the V from LOVE created two words and scored 24 points with the double word score!"
Similar length and difficulty words
Total base points: 8 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 | Consonants: 2
Perfect for using difficult V tiles. The common letters make it easy to play off existing words.
"The Void" has captivated philosophers for millennia. In Buddhism, Śūnyatā (emptiness/void) represents the ultimate nature of reality. Existentialists like Sartre explored the void as the gap between being and nothingness, while physicists ponder the quantum void - seemingly empty space teeming with virtual particles.
"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Today, "void" permeates technology (void functions), law (void contracts), and popular culture ("screaming into the void" on social media). Its versatility reflects our ongoing need to describe absence, nullity, and the spaces between things.
V Placement Strategy
Place the V (4 points) on double or triple letter scores. V is less common, so VOID helps clear difficult tiles.
Build Compound Words
VOID + A = AVOID, DE + VOID = DEVOID, O + VOID = OVOID (egg-shaped).
Parallel Play Potential
Common letters O, I, D make it easy to create parallel words for bonus points.
VOID
8 base points
VOIDS
9 base points
VOIDED
11 base points
VOIDING
12 base points
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like VOID