500 Important Examples of Compound Words in English
Table of Contents
Compound Words
It is possible to create compound words by joining two or more words together to make a new phrase. Compound nouns are a constant and everyday element of speaking, writing, and reading in English. We use them so much that sometimes we don’t even realize that they are compound nouns.
Compound nouns are classified into three categories:
Open Compounds: This sort of compound noun is generated by combining two different words that operate as though they are a single entity in terms of grammatical structure. In contrast to a noun phrase, this sort of compound noun differs from a noun phrase in that one word is not acting as a modifier for another. For example, the compound noun “living room” refers to a type of room, whereas the distinct phrases “living and room” relate to a room that is alive.
Here are 950 Most Common Examples of Compound Words in English
1. aboveboard
2. afterbirth
3. afterburner
4. afterglow
5. afterimage
6. afterlife
7. aftermath
8. afternoon
9. airbrush
10. aircraft
11. aircraft
12. airfield
13. airfield
14. airlift
15. airline
16. airliner
17. airmail
18. airman
19. airmen
20. airplane
21. airport
22. airport
23. airship
24. airtime
25. allover
26. allspice
27. alongside
28. also
29. another
30. anybody
31. anyhow
32. anymore
33. anyone
34. anyplace
35. anything
36. anytime
37. anyway
38. anywhere
39. armchair
40. armpit
41. around
42. arrowhead
43. ashtray
44. authorship
45. babysitter
46. backache
47. backbite
48. backbite
49. backbone
50. backbreaker
51. backdrop
52. backdrop
53. backfield
54. backfire
55. backfire
56. background
57. background
58. backhand
59. backhand
60. backlash
61. backlash
62. backlog
63. backlog
64. backpack
65. backside
66. backside
67. backslap
68. backslide
69. backslide
70. backspace
71. backspin
72. backspin
73. backstage
74. backstop
75. backstretch
76. backstroke
77. backstroke
78. backtrack
79. backward
80. ballpark
81. ballroom
82. bankbook
83. bankroll
84. baseball
85. basketball
86. beachcomb
87. became
88. because
89. become
90. bedbug
91. bedclothes
92. bedrock
93. bedroll
94. bedroom
95. bellbottom
96. bellboy
97. bellhop
98. below
99. blackball
100. blackberries
101. blackbird
102. blackboard
103. blackjack
104. blacklist
105. blackmail
106. blackout
107. blacksmith
108. blacktop
109. bluebell
110. blueberry
111. bluebird
112. bluefish
113. bluegrass
114. blueprint
115. boardwalk
116. bodyguard
117. bodywork
118. boldface
119. bookbinder
120. bookcase
121. bookend
122. bookkeeper
123. booklet
124. bookmark
125. bookmobile
126. bookseller
127. bookshelf
128. bookstore
129. bookworm
130. bootstrap
131. bowtie
132. brainchild
133. brainstorm
134. brainwash
135. bugspray
136. buttercup
137. butterfat
138. butterfingers
139. butterflies
140. buttermilk
141. butternut
142. butterscotch
143. bypass
144. cabdriver
145. cancan
146. candid
147. candlelight
148. candlestick
149. cannot
150. cardboard
151. cardsharp
152. carefree
153. caretaker
154. careworn
155. carfare
156. cargo
157. carhop
158. carload
159. carpetbagger
160. carpool
161. carport
162. carrack
163. carryall
164. carsick
165. cartwheel
166. carwash
167. cattail
168. caveman
169. centercut
170. cheeseburger
171. cheesecake
172. clockwise
173. coffeemaker
174. comeback
175. comedown
176. commonplace
177. commonwealth
178. cornball
179. cornmeal
180. cornstalk
181. cornwall
182. cottonmouth
183. cottontail
184. cottonwood
185. countdown
186. counterattack
187. counterbalance
188. counterclockwise
189. counterintelligence
190. countermeasure
191. counteroffensive
192. counterpane
193. counterpart
194. counterpoint
195. counterpoise
196. courthouse
197. courtroom
198. courtyard
199. crewcut
200. crossbow
201. crossbreed
202. crosscut
203. crossover
204. crosstown
205. crosswalk
206. crossword
207. dairymaid
208. daisywheel
209. daybed
210. daybook
211. daybreak
212. daydream
213. daylight
214. daytime
215. deadend
216. deadline
217. dishcloth
218. dishpan
219. dishwasher
220. dishwater
221. diskdrive
222. dogwood
223. doorstop
224. downbeat
225. downunder
226. drawbridge
227. driveway
228. duckbill
229. duckpin
230. earache
231. eardrop
232. eardrum
233. earring
234. earthbound
235. earthquake
236. earthward
237. earthworm
238. egghead
239. eggshell
240. elsewhere
241. everything
242. eyeballs
243. eyecatching
244. eyeglasses
245. eyelash
246. eyelid
247. eyesight
248. eyewitness
249. fatherland
250. fatherless
251. firearm
252. fireball
253. fireboat
254. firebomb
255. firebox
256. firebreak
257. firecracker
258. firefighter
259. fireflies
260. firehouse
261. fireproof
262. firewater
263. fireworks
264. fishbowl
265. fisherman
266. fisheye
267. fishhook
268. fishlike
269. fishmonger
270. fishnet
271. fishpond
272. fishtail
273. football
274. foothill
275. foothold
276. footlights
277. footlocker
278. footnote
279. footpath
280. footprints
281. footrest
282. forbearer
283. forbid
284. forearm
285. forebear
286. forecast
287. foreclose
288. foreclosure
289. forefather
290. forefinger
291. forefront
292. forehand
293. forehead
294. foreleg
295. foreman
296. forerunner
297. foresee
298. foresight
299. forestland
300. forever
301. forget
302. forgive
303. forklift
304. format
305. fortnight
306. friendship
307. fruitcup
308. gearshift
309. glassmaking
310. goodbye
311. goodnight
312. grandaunt
313. grandchild
314. grandchildren
315. granddaughter
316. grandfather
317. grandmaster
318. grandmother
319. grandnephew
320. grandnieces
321. grandparent
322. grandson
323. grandstand
324. granduncle
325. grasshopper
326. graveyard
327. gumball
328. haircut
329. hamburger
330. hammerhead
331. hamstring
332. handball
333. handbook
334. handcuff
335. handgun
336. handmade
337. handout
338. headache
339. headdress
340. headhunter
341. headlight
342. headline
343. headquarters
344. hedgehop
345. heirloom
346. hellcat
347. hellhole
348. helpmate
349. helpmeet
350. hemstitch
351. henceforth
352. henchman
353. henpeck
354. hereabout
355. hereafter
356. hereafter
357. hereby
358. hereby
359. herein
360. herein
361. hereof
362. hereupon
363. herself
364. highball
365. highchair
366. highland
367. highway
368. himself
369. homemade
370. hometown
371. honeybee
372. honeycomb
373. honeydew
374. honeymoon
375. honeysuckle
376. hookup
377. hookworm
378. horseback
379. horsefly
380. horsehair
381. horseplay
382. horsepower
383. horseshoe
384. houseboat
385. housecoat
386. household
387. housekeeper
388. housetop
389. housewife
390. housework
391. however
392. ideal
393. inchworm
394. income
395. indoors
396. infold
397. infuse
398. infusion
399. inhale
400. inkblot
401. inkwell
402. inland
403. inmate
404. inpatient
405. inroad
406. inset
407. inside
408. intake
409. ironwork
410. itself
411. jackpot
412. jackpot
413. Jackson
414. jailbait
415. jailbird
416. jawbone
417. jawbreaker
418. jaywalk
419. jellybean
420. jellyfish
421. jellyfish
422. jerkwater
423. jerrybuild
424. jetliner
425. jetport
426. jigsaw
427. jimsonweed
428. jitterbug
429. jobholder
430. johnnycake
431. jumpshot
432. keepsake
433. keyboard
434. keyhole
435. keynote
436. keypad
437. keypunch
438. keystone
439. keystroke
440. keyway
441. keyword
442. landmark
443. landslide
444. landward
445. Lapland
446. lapwing
447. larkspur
448. laughingstock
449. lawgiver
450. lawmaker
451. lawsuit
452. layman
453. layoff
454. layout
455. layover
456. leapfrog
457. lifeblood
458. lifeboat
459. lifeguard
460. lifelike
461. lifeline
462. lifelong
463. lifesaver
464. lifetime
465. lifework
466. limelight
467. limestone
468. longhand
469. longhorn
470. longhouse
471. lukewarm
472. mainland
473. mainline
474. mainspring
475. mainstream
476. matchbox
477. meadowland
478. meantime
479. meanwhile
480. moonbeam
481. moonlight
482. moonscape
483. moonshine
484. moonstone
485. moonstruck
486. moonwalk
487. moreover
488. mothball
489. motherhood
490. motorcycle
491. nearby
492. nevermore
493. newfound
494. newsboy
495. newsbreak
496. newscast
497. newscaster
498. newsdealer
499. newsletter
500. newsman
