Why are there two TH sounds?

English spells two different sounds with the same letters. The voiceless one (/θ/) is in think, bath, and math. The voiced one (/ð/) is in this, that, and mother.

What age should a child say TH?

TH is one of the last sounds to develop and may not be accurate until age 6 or later. Substituting F or D for TH is common in younger children.

What are some easy TH words for kids?

Start with think, thumb, bath, and this. Filter to initial TH to find more starting words.

Word Lists

TH Words

A searchable TH word list covering both TH sounds, filterable by position, syllables, and word type.

All TH words Practice phrases How to make it FAQ

TH is really two sounds wearing the same spelling. There is the quiet one in think and bath, and the buzzy one in this and mother. Both put the tongue between or just behind the front teeth.

All TH words (450)

Search the full list, or filter by position (initial, medial, final), word type, and syllable count. Every word is grouped by sound, not spelling.

Position

Word type

Syllables

450 results of 450 TH words

Initial TH (121)

therethenthreethingthirdthusthrowthemethickthoughtthanksthoutheftthankthinkingthumbthiefthightheorythornthousandthursdaythreatthroughthreadthawthirtythetathongthroatthinthymethrewtheathumpthunderthronethoughthudthanethesisthermalthresholdtherapythrillerthirteenthrobtheaterthicknessthrilltheoremthirstthroughoutthinnerthyroidthatcherthereforethrottlethanksgivingthriftthinkertherapistthirteenththrowbackthistlethumbnailthesesthroughputthumpingthrashthinningthwartthrowingthrownthrashingthrustingthrowerthoraxthrushthrallthrongthievingtheologythatchthwartingthicketthrustertherapeuticthunderstormthermosthrashertherebythoroughtheoristthreatenthankfulthermostatthunderbolttheatricalthoughtfulthoroughbredthereofthirstythrivethoroughfarethesaurusthrombosisthunderbirdthickeningthrivingthrillingthreateningthoriumthrowawaytheseusthoroughlythrottlingthermometerthereintherapeuticsthereafter

Medial TH (221)

othernothingfathermotherbrotherauthorweathernorthernmethodbirthdayethicclothesethercatholicbathroomethosmonthlyclothingbotherleatherethnicworthybreathinggatherethicsearthquakesoutheastnorthwestethylathletefaithfulsouthwestnortheastrhythmwithineitherathensratheranthemfurtherlutherbreakthroughpythonpathwayanotherfeatherbathinggatheringgothicpanthergrandfatherauthoritymarathongrandmothermethanebrethrenrethinktogetherbathtubwithdrawalsouthernaestheticsympathyhealthycathedraltoothbrushbirthplaceneithersmoothersyntheticbrotherhoodfathomsynthesishawthornathleticsmethylnorthwardstrengtheningloathinganthraxempathymouthpiecebethelheathensouthwardmethodistsouthwesterncathodeatheistbirthrightbreatherarthritismouthfuloverthrowaestheticswithersdeathbedlithiumtethermathematicsotherwisealtogetherethanolatheismlutheransmoothnesssmothercutthroatgodfatherteethingpathosalgorithmenthusiasmsouthlandtoothpickwealthybethlehemcathaymentholmotherhoodrutherfordlathermouthwashbathrobehypothesisapathyathenawithdrawcatheterplethorastepfatherstrengthenmethodologypantheonfarthingpathogenithacastepmotherauthorshipauthorizationethiopiafatimawithdrawnpathfinderlethalanthropologyfartherlengthymotherlandmythologyworthlessamethysthypotheticalpithyauthenticityfaithfulnessfilthyauthoritarianothellofatherlandmethadonenothingnesspathologychemotherapynortherlygodmotherethiopianethylenefatherhoodsoutherlyanthologysmoothlyafterthoughtepithetenthusiastruthlessurethrawithstandfurthermorewitheringcatharticarithmeticprosthesisprostheticsanesthesiayouthfulcatholicismgathererauthenticationathleticauthorizedphilanthropypatheticweathermanlethargycatharsisethicalorthodoxyparthenonstethoscopepsychotherapyfeatherweightsoothingmathematicianauthenticnonethelessworthinesstruthfulbimonthlyhypotheseslithuanianrhythmiceuthanasiaanthropologistwithheldpathologistorthodoxparenthesesprometheusearthlyphilanthropist

Final TH (109)

deathsouthnorthmonthworthearthtruthmouthfaithfifthbirthyouthpathteethdepthmathbathforthbothsixthhealthboothmythtoothninthclothwidthoathtenthgrowthheathwrathfourthstrengthlengthmothberthfilthbrothbreathwealthgothbathesmoothfirthslothseventheighthgirthlathetithebarthswathfrothmirthwarmthnineteenthcommonwealthplymouthgriffithstealthtwelfthsabbatheighteenthbreadthchildbirthmammothrebirthsixteenththirteenthwreathfourteenthmacbethaftermathfifteenthblacksmithgoldsmithtwentiethsheathzenithhearthfootpathcorinthlilithdeartheleventhbreathebeneathmillionthhundredthlocksmithscytheseventeenthpsychopathlabyrinthabsinthebismuthoutgrowthsleuthplinthgoliathloathbehemothmonolithhyacinthtableclothunderneathundergrowthfiftieth

Practice phrases

Once single words are solid, phrases move the sound toward real speech.

Say think three times.
Say thin three times.
Say thumb three times.

Sound /θ/, /ð/

How to make the TH sound

For TH, the tongue tip lightly touches or sits just behind the top front teeth while air flows over it. It is voiceless in think and bath, and voiced in this and feather. TH is one of the later sounds to develop, often not mastered until age 6 or later, which is why lisped or substituted TH is common.

Developmental ages from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Keep going

Minimal pairs worksheets

CVC word lists

All speech-sound word lists

TH sound questions

Put the tongue tip lightly against or just behind the top front teeth and let air flow over it. Keep the voice off for the think sound and turn the voice on for the this sound.