Updated June 2026
The longitudinal structural beam running along the bottom of a boat or ship, forming its backbone and providing directional stability.
“The yacht was laid up for repairs after the keel was damaged on a submerged rock.”
/kiːl/
Double E in the middle with L at the end; confirming the EEL pattern opens many options.
Worth 8 points, a reliable short play.
Change a single letter of “keel” to make these 4-letter words — useful for Wordle and crossword clues.
5-letter words you can spell by adding one letter to “keel”.
Look up keel in an authoritative dictionary for full definitions, pronunciation, and etymology.

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