3rd Grade Spelling Bee Words

📌 Key Takeaways

A 100-word spelling bee list for 3rd graders, categorized by difficulty.

Study tips & strategies to help kids remember words effectively.

Spelling Games for Kids to make learning fun.

How to prepare for a competitive spelling bee in 3rd grade.

3rd Grade Spelling Bee Word List (100 Words)

Easy words

WordPart of SpeechOriginDefinition + Example Sentence

jump

verb

Old English

To push oneself off a surface and into the air. Example: The cat can jump very high.

kept

verb

Old English

Past tense of keep, meaning to hold or retain. Example: She kept the letter in a safe place.

knot

noun

Old English

A fastening made by tying a piece of string or rope. Example: He tied a knot in the rope.

lawn

noun

Middle English

An area of grass in a garden. Example: The children played on the lawn.

left

noun or verb

Old English

Past tense of leave; or the opposite of right. Example: He left the house early.

load

verb

Old English

To put things into a vehicle. Example: They load the truck with boxes.

lose

verb

Old English

To fail to keep something. Example: I often lose my keys.

make

verb

Old English

To create or produce something. Example: She can make delicious cakes.

much

adjective

Old English

A large amount. Example: He didn’t eat much for dinner.

near

adverb

Old English

Close to something. Example: The store is near my house.

open

adjective

Old English

Not closed. Example: The door was left open.

quick

adjective

Old English

Moving fast. Example: He made a quick decision.

round

adjective

Old English

Shaped like a circle. Example: The ball is round.

start

verb

Old English

To begin doing something. Example: He will start his new job tomorrow.

warm

adjective

Old English

Having a mild heat. Example: The soup is warm.

wide

adjective

Old English

Having a great extent. Example: The river is very wide.

wish

verb

Old English

To want something. Example: I wish for a new bike.

work

noun

Old English

Activity involving effort. Example: She goes to work every morning.

write

verb

Old English

To mark letters or words. Example: She can write a letter.

young

adjective

Old English

Not old. Example: The puppy is still young.

ask

verb

Old English

To inquire about something. Example: She asked a question.

begin

verb

Old English

To start something. Example: The show will begin soon.

carry

verb

Old English

To hold and move something. Example: She can carry the heavy bag.

clean

adjective

Old English

Free from dirt. Example: The room is clean.

dry

adjective

Old English

Not wet. Example: The clothes are dry now.

easy

adjective

Old English

Not difficult. Example: The test was easy.

find

verb

Old English

To locate something. Example: He found his lost keys.

happy

adjective

Old English

Feeling joy. Example: She is very happy today.

jump

verb

Old English

To push oneself off a surface. Example: The dog can jump high.

laugh

verb

Old English

To express happiness. Example: He laughed at the joke.

light

adjective

Old English

Not heavy. Example: This bag is very light.

long

adjective

Old English

Not short. Example: The road is very long.

love

noun

Old English

A deep feeling of affection. Example: She has love for her family.

open

verb

Old English

To make accessible. Example: Please open the door.

pick

verb

Old English

To choose something. Example: Pick a number between 1 and 10.

play

verb

Old English

To engage in an activity for fun. Example: The kids love to play outside.

quick

adverb

Old English

Moving fast. Example: He ran very quick.

quiet

adjective

Old English

Making little noise. Example: The library is quiet.

read

verb

Old English

To understand written text. Example: He can read very well.

rest

noun

Old English

A period of relaxation. Example: I need to rest after work.

run

verb

Old English

To move fast on foot. Example: She can run very fast.

safe

adjective

Old English

Free from danger. Example: The neighborhood is safe.

small

adjective

Old English

Not large. Example: The puppy is small.

soft

adjective

Old English

Not hard. Example: The pillow is soft.

stand

verb

Old English

To be upright. Example: He can stand for hours.

strong

adjective

Old English

Having great strength. Example: The athlete is very strong.

talk

verb

Old English

To communicate with words. Example: They talk every day.

thank

verb

Old English

To express gratitude. Example: She thanked her friend.

try

verb

Old English

To attempt something. Example: He will try his best.

walk

verb

Old English

To move on foot. Example: She walks to school.

Medium words

WordPart of SpeechOriginDefinition + Example Sentence

anger

noun

Old English

A strong feeling of displeasure. Example: His face turned red with anger.

artist

noun

Latin

A person who creates art. Example: She is a talented artist.

awake

verb

Old English

Not sleeping. Example: He stayed awake all night.

blaze

noun

Old English

A strong fire. Example: The fire created a huge blaze.

boast

verb

Old English

To talk with pride. Example: He boasted about his achievements.

brass

noun

Old English

A yellow metal. Example: The lamp is made of brass.

chirp

verb

Old English

A high-pitched sound made by birds. Example: The birds chirped in the morning.

frown

noun

Old English

A facial expression of displeasure. Example: She had a frown on her face.

goose

noun

Old English

A large water bird. Example: A flock of geese flew over the lake.

glove

noun

Middle English

A covering for the hand. Example: She wore warm gloves in winter.

clever

adjective

Middle English

Intelligent and quick-witted. Example: The clever fox escaped the trap.

dread

noun

Old English

A feeling of great fear. Example: He felt dread before the exam.

eager

adjective

Old English

Wanting to do something very much. Example: She was eager to start her new job.

fancy

adjective

Old English

Decorative or elaborate. Example: They wore fancy clothes to the party.

fright

noun

Old English

A sudden feeling of fear. Example: The loud noise gave her a fright.

humble

adjective

Latin

Modest and not boastful. Example: Despite his success, he remained humble.

noble

adjective

Latin

Having high morals or qualities. Example: He is from a noble family.

puzzle

noun

Middle English

A problem that requires thinking. Example: The crossword puzzle was difficult.

seldom

adverb

Old English

Not often. Example: She seldom eats fast food.

shriek

verb

Old English

To scream loudly. Example: She shrieked when she saw the spider.

bitter

adjective

Old English

Having a sharp taste or feeling. Example: The coffee was too bitter.

broken

adjective

Old English

Damaged or not working. Example: The toy was broken.

burden

noun

Old English

A heavy load or responsibility. Example: He carried the burden of leadership.

cancel

verb

Latin

To call off an event. Example: They canceled the flight due to bad weather.

danger

noun

Latin

A situation that is harmful. Example: The storm posed a danger to the town.

divide

verb

Latin

To separate into parts. Example: Divide the cake into four pieces.

embrace

verb

Latin

To hug or accept something. Example: She embraced the new challenge.

feather

noun

Old English

The outer covering of a bird. Example: The peacock has beautiful feathers.

gather

verb

Old English

To collect things together. Example: They gathered around the fireplace.

harvest

noun

Old English

The collection of crops. Example: The farmers celebrated a good harvest.

jealous

adjective

Old French

Feeling envy. Example: He was jealous of his friend’s success.

lantern

noun

Latin

A light source in a container. Example: They carried lanterns in the dark.

measure

verb

Latin

To determine the size of something. Example: He measured the length of the table.

nervous

adjective

Latin

Feeling anxious or worried. Example: She was nervous before the test.

pattern

noun

Old French

A repeated design or arrangement. Example: The fabric had a floral pattern.

punish

verb

Latin

To discipline for wrongdoing. Example: The teacher punished the misbehaving student.

rescue

verb

Latin

To save from danger. Example: The firefighters rescued the cat from the tree.

shiver

verb

Old English

To shake due to cold or fear. Example: He shivered in the freezing wind.

thunder

noun

Old English

The sound of lightning. Example: The loud thunder woke them up.

tremble

verb

Latin

To shake from fear or cold. Example: She trembled with nervousness.

vanish

verb

Latin

To disappear suddenly. Example: The magician made the rabbit vanish.

wander

verb

Old English

To walk around without purpose. Example: He wandered through the park.

weary

adjective

Old English

Feeling very tired. Example: She felt weary after a long day.

wrinkle

noun

Old English

A line or fold in something. Example: His forehead had wrinkles.

venture

verb

Latin

To take a risky journey. Example: They ventured into the forest.

whisper

verb

Old English

To speak very softly. Example: She whispered a secret to her friend.

warning

noun

Old English

A sign of danger. Example: The road sign was a warning for drivers.

vanish

verb

Latin

To disappear quickly. Example: The fog vanished by noon.

Challenging words

WordPart of SpeechOriginDefinition + Example Sentence

accomplish

verb

Latin

To achieve or complete something. Example: She accomplished her goal of running a marathon.

admiration

noun

Latin

A feeling of respect. Example: His bravery earned admiration from his peers.

adventurous

adjective

Latin

Willing to take risks. Example: He has an adventurous spirit.

aluminum

noun

Latin

A lightweight metal. Example: Aluminum is used in making airplanes.

apologize

verb

Greek

To express regret. Example: He apologized for being late.

democratic

adjective

Greek

Relating to democracy. Example: The country follows a democratic system.

electricity

noun

Greek

A form of energy. Example: Electricity powers our homes.

embroidery

noun

French

Decorative needlework. Example: Her dress had beautiful embroidery.

expenditure

noun

Latin

The action of spending. Example: The company reduced its expenditure.

personality

noun

Latin

A person's character. Example: She has a cheerful personality.

philosophy

noun

Greek

The study of wisdom and knowledge. Example: He studied philosophy in college.

hemisphere

noun

Greek

Half of a sphere. Example: The Earth’s northern hemisphere experiences winter in December.

fraudulent

adjective

Latin

Deceptive or dishonest. Example: The company was fined for fraudulent activities.

inevitable

adjective

Latin

Certain to happen. Example: Aging is an inevitable process.

perseverance

noun

Latin

Continued effort despite difficulty. Example: His perseverance led him to success.

tranquility

noun

Latin

A state of peace and calm. Example: She enjoyed the tranquility of the countryside.

unanimous

adjective

Latin

In complete agreement. Example: The decision was unanimous.

vengeance

noun

Old French

Revenge or punishment. Example: He sought vengeance for the injustice.

whimsical

adjective

Old English

Playfully unusual. Example: The story had a whimsical tone.

zealous

adjective

Greek

Passionately devoted. Example: He was zealous in his pursuit of knowledge.

catastrophe

noun

Greek

A sudden disaster. Example: The earthquake was a catastrophe.

extravagant

adjective

Latin

Excessive or over-the-top. Example: The wedding was an extravagant event.

formidable

adjective

Latin

Inspiring fear or respect. Example: The team faced a formidable opponent.

illuminate

verb

Latin

To light up. Example: The candles illuminated the room.

innovation

noun

Latin

A new idea or method. Example: The company thrives on innovation.

judicious

adjective

Latin

Showing good judgment. Example: He made a judicious decision.

meticulous

adjective

Latin

Extremely careful with details. Example: The artist was meticulous in his work.

noteworthy

adjective

Old English

Deserving attention. Example: The scientist made a noteworthy discovery.

optimistic

adjective

Latin

Hopeful about the future. Example: She remained optimistic despite difficulties.

paradox

noun

Greek

A self-contradictory statement. Example: 'Less is more' is a paradox.

prosperity

noun

Latin

Wealth and success. Example: The country enjoyed years of prosperity.

resilient

adjective

Latin

Able to recover quickly. Example: She is resilient in the face of challenges.

scrutinize

verb

Latin

To examine carefully. Example: The detective scrutinized the evidence.

turbulence

noun

Latin

Violent movement or disturbance. Example: The flight experienced turbulence.

unprecedented

adjective

Latin

Never done before. Example: The company had unprecedented growth.

vulnerable

adjective

Latin

Easily harmed. Example: The animal was vulnerable to predators.

ambiguous

adjective

Latin

Having multiple meanings. Example: His answer was ambiguous.

benevolent

adjective

Latin

Kind and generous. Example: The benevolent king helped the poor.

clandestine

adjective

Latin

Done in secret. Example: The spies had a clandestine meeting.

decipher

verb

Latin

To interpret or solve. Example: He tried to decipher the old manuscript.

eclectic

adjective

Greek

Choosing from various sources. Example: Her music taste is eclectic.

magnanimous

adjective

Latin

Very generous or forgiving. Example: He was magnanimous in victory.

paradigm

noun

Greek

A typical example or model. Example: The book set a paradigm for future writers.

poignant

adjective

Latin

Deeply touching. Example: The speech was poignant.

redundant

adjective

Latin

Unnecessary repetition. Example: His explanation was redundant.

tenacious

adjective

Latin

Holding on firmly. Example: She had a tenacious grip on her beliefs.

utopia

noun

Greek

An ideal society. Example: The novel describes a utopia.

Related Lists:

More grade-level spelling lists:

Downloadable PDF: A printable spelling list for offline practice.

Practice Online: Try the 3rd Grade Spelling Bee Quiz on Spelly.

How to Study for a 3rd Grade Spelling Bee

Daily practice routine: 5 words per day, spelling aloud, writing exercises.

Memory tricks: Mnemonics, rhyming techniques, and visual aids.

Use sentences: Practice words in sentences to remember meanings.

Use Spelly for interactive learning:

Fun & Effective Spelling Bee Practice Techniques

Spelling games: Hangman, word search, and spelling bingo.

Flashcards & spelling tests: Traditional methods with modern apps.

Mock spelling bees at home: Simulate the real competition.

Use technology:

Common Spelling Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Silent letters & homophones: their vs. there, knight vs. night.

Common misspellings in 3rd grade: words that frequently trip up young spellers.

Interactive challenge:

What to Expect at a 3rd Grade Spelling Bee

How a spelling bee works: Official rules and what kids should know.

Tips for competition day:

  • Stay calm, ask for the word in a sentence.
  • Spell slowly, pronounce letters clearly.
  • Visualize the word before saying it.

Encouraging confidence:

  • 'Mistakes are okay – every great speller started somewhere!'

Printable & Interactive Spelling Bee Resources

Hard Spelling Bee Words for extra challenge.

Try Spelly’s Free 3rd Grade Spelling Games!

FAQ: Common Questions About 3rd Grade Spelling Bees

CTA: Ready to Master These Words? Try Spelly for Free!

💡 'Make spelling bee prep fun & easy with interactive games! Start Practicing on Spelly'

More Spelling Bee Word lists by grade

🎯 Become a Spelling Bee champion!

Try Spelly, an online spelling game that turns spelling practice into a fun, interactive experience! 🏆