5-Letter Words That End With SE: 54 Essential Examples

Language is full of patterns, and certain word endings appear more often than we realize. Whether you chase a goal, rinse your hands, or make a sense of something, these words fit naturally into everyday speech. Some describe actions, others name objects or ideas, and many have interesting origins.

Among them, 5-letter words that end with se are common in both casual conversation and formal writing. From verbs to nouns, they help express movement, description, and meaning. In this article, we’ll explore these words, breaking them down by usage and uncovering how they shape the way we communicate.

Common 5-Letter Words Ending in “SE”

1. house – A building for people to live in.
2. sense – The ability to perceive or understand something.
3. these – The plural form of “this,” referring to specific things.
4. goose – A large waterbird known for its honking sound.
5. rinse – To wash lightly, often with water.
6. those – The plural form of “that,” referring to distant objects.
7. loose – Not firmly held or fixed in place.
8. lease – A contract granting someone the right to use property for a period.
9. dense – Closely packed together; thick.
10. pulse – The rhythmic throbbing of arteries due to heartbeat.
11. horse – A large domesticated mammal used for riding and work.
12. purse – A small bag used for carrying money and personal items.
13. arise – To emerge or come into existence.
14. poise – Graceful balance and self-assurance.
15. close – To shut something or bring things together.
16. tease – To make fun of playfully or provoke someone.
17. noise – A sound, often loud or unpleasant.
18. cease – To stop or bring something to an end.
19. verse – A line of a poem or a section of a song.
20. chose – The past tense of “choose,” meaning to select.

Action-Oriented 5-Letter Words Ending in “SE” (Verbs)

1. chase – To pursue in order to catch or overtake.
2. erase – To remove or delete something, such as writing.
3. douse – To drench or pour liquid over something.
4. phase – To carry out something in gradual steps.
5. abuse – To treat someone or something with cruelty or harm.
6. amuse – To entertain or make someone laugh.
7. parse – To analyze a sentence grammatically.
8. reuse – To use something again instead of discarding it.

Descriptive or Noun-Based 5-Letter Words Ending in “SE”

1. tense – Stretched tight; anxious or nervous.
2. obese – Extremely overweight.
3. anise – A plant used for its seeds, which have a licorice-like flavor.
4. guise – An outward appearance, often misleading.
5. copse – A small group of trees or bushes.
6. morse – A type of telegraph code (Morse code).
7. false – Not true; incorrect.
8. pause – A temporary stop or break.
9. terse – Brief and to the point, often appearing rude.
10. lapse – A temporary failure or decline.
11. nurse – A person who cares for the sick or injured.
12. gorse – A spiny yellow-flowered shrub.
13. torse – A heraldic term referring to a twisted band worn on a helmet.

Less Common or Unique 5-Letter Words Ending in “SE”

1. curse – A spoken wish for misfortune to befall someone.
2. basse – A low-pitched musical sound or instrument.
3. lyase – An enzyme that catalyzes the breaking of chemical bonds.
4. pease – An old plural form of “pea.”
5. cause – The reason something happens.
6. urase – An enzyme that hydrolyzes urea.
7. moose – A large, antlered mammal found in northern forests.
8. whose – Possessive form of “who,” indicating ownership.
9. elyse – A given name, sometimes used poetically.
10. druse – A rock cavity lined with crystals.
11. spose – A dialectal or informal form of “suppose.”
12. salse – A geological term for a mud volcano.
13. unuse – A rarely used term meaning “not in use.”