Word Search Printable for Adults

Twenty-eight long words in all eight directions in a 20 by 20 grid, with the answer key on page 2.

Garden Flowers Word Search

Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go in every direction, backwards too.

0 of 28 words found

PRLNUGOLDENRODCALHLD
HELIOTROPEIAIOKFFBSN
IORWEGIRHSUCSIBIHTEA
UPNIWRANHTVSITAMELCA
HSDEWIURMYOBBLUWOMDS
DMINYILPDWDUNAWRCUEX
TRAMQSNZSPPRFVAETFZM
GENIPDUKHKARAEMNMICL
EMEANAOCLRRNMNIOORUJ
RUBBEETNKEVASDGMICLM
AIRGLADIOLUSLEAEIFDF
NNEFRYLREREEFRANAHOP
IIVNEUDOANCNNTIAORVN
UHAINOGEBGSRGYNWSGOO
MPGALAMARYLLISUYLAAT
SLNSRWISTERIAATSAETB
REWOLFENOCIGHHEUJTEQ
NDDUGSCAMELLIAPZZZSW
TFOXGLOVEHYACINTHTLR
YSSOLPRIMROSEAHWRGFN

This grid is wider and taller than its box. Slide it to see every letter.To drag, hold the first letter for a moment, then slide.Keyboard: Tab to the grid, arrow keys to move, Enter on the first and last letter.

  • DELPHINIUM
  • HYDRANGEA
  • SNAPDRAGON
  • FOXGLOVE
  • GERANIUM
  • WISTERIA
  • PETUNIA
  • NASTURTIUM
  • PRIMROSE
  • FORSYTHIA
  • LAVENDER
  • BEGONIA
  • CAMELLIA
  • GARDENIA
  • CLEMATIS
  • AMARYLLIS
  • ANEMONE
  • GLADIOLUS
  • HYACINTH
  • PERIWINKLE
  • VERBENA
  • IMPATIENS
  • HELIOTROPE
  • LARKSPUR
  • HONEYSUCKLE
  • CONEFLOWER
  • GOLDENROD
  • HIBISCUS

28 of 32 words from the Garden Flowers list.

Tap or click the first letter of a word, then its last letter. Or drag across the word. On a touch screen, hold the first letter for a moment before you drag. On a keyboard, the arrow keys move, Enter marks the first and the last letter, and Escape clears a first letter.

Hard: words go in every direction, backwards too.

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The puzzle changes as you go. See the puzzle

Answer key: Garden Flowers Word Search

PRLNUGOLDENRODCALHLD
HELIOTROPEIAIOKFFBSN
IORWEGIRHSUCSIBIHTEA
UPNIWRANHTVSITAMELCA
HSDEWIURMYOBBLUWOMDS
DMINYILPDWDUNAWRCUEX
TRAMQSNZSPPRFVAETFZM
GENIPDUKHKARAEMNMICL
EMEANAOCLRRNMNIOORUJ
RUBBEETNKEVASDGMICLM
AIRGLADIOLUSLEAEIFDF
NNEFRYLREREEFRANAHOP
IIVNEUDOANCNNTIAORVN
UHAINOGEBGSRGYNWSGOO
MPGALAMARYLLISUYLAAT
SLNSRWISTERIAATSAETB
REWOLFENOCIGHHEUJTEQ
NDDUGSCAMELLIAPZZZSW
TFOXGLOVEHYACINTHTLR
YSSOLPRIMROSEAHWRGFN

DELPHINIUM, HYDRANGEA, SNAPDRAGON, FOXGLOVE, GERANIUM, WISTERIA, PETUNIA, NASTURTIUM, PRIMROSE, FORSYTHIA, LAVENDER, BEGONIA, CAMELLIA, GARDENIA, CLEMATIS, AMARYLLIS, ANEMONE, GLADIOLUS, HYACINTH, PERIWINKLE, VERBENA, IMPATIENS, HELIOTROPE, LARKSPUR, HONEYSUCKLE, CONEFLOWER, GOLDENROD, HIBISCUS

Next step Too easy? Try 40 words with decoys in a 25 by 25 gridNeed bigger type? Switch to large print

All 256 words

Garden Flowers 32

  • Amaryllis A large bulb grown indoors in winter for the trumpet flowers on its thick stalk.
  • Anemone A garden plant also called windflower; a sea animal shares its name.
  • Begonia A shade plant grown for its waxy flowers and patterned leaves.
  • Camellia An evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and rose-like flowers in the cool months.
  • Carnation A frilly flower with a spicy scent, often worn in a buttonhole.
  • Clematis A climbing plant with star-shaped flowers, often trained up a trellis.
  • Columbine A woodland flower with a backward-pointing spur on each petal.
  • Coneflower A prairie flower with drooping petals around a raised center.
  • Delphinium A tall spike of blue flowers; the name comes from the Greek word for dolphin.
  • Forsythia A shrub covered in bright yellow flowers in early spring, before its leaves open.
  • Foxglove A tall plant with rows of bell-shaped flowers; the heart drug digoxin comes from its genus.
  • Gardenia A shrub with glossy leaves and creamy white, strongly scented flowers.
  • Geranium A window box favorite with rounded leaves and clusters of red, pink or white flowers.
  • Gladiolus A summer bulb with a tall spike of flowers and sword-shaped leaves.
Show all 256 words (242 more)

Garden Flowers, continued

  • Goldenrod A late summer wildflower with plumes of tiny yellow flowers.
  • Heliotrope A plant with clusters of small purple flowers; its name means turning toward the sun.
  • Hibiscus A shrub with large trumpet flowers and a long column at the center of each.
  • Hollyhock A cottage garden plant that sends up a tall stalk lined with wide flowers.
  • Honeysuckle A climbing vine with sweet-smelling tube-shaped flowers.
  • Hyacinth A spring bulb with a dense spike of strongly scented flowers.
  • Hydrangea A shrub whose big flower heads lean blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil.
  • Impatiens A shade bedding plant named for the way its ripe seed pods burst open.
  • Larkspur A cottage garden flower with spikes of blue, pink or white spurred blooms.
  • Lavender A gray-green shrub with scented purple flower spikes, often dried for sachets.
  • Nasturtium A trailing plant with round leaves; its peppery flowers can go in a salad.
  • Periwinkle A ground cover with glossy leaves and small blue-violet flowers.
  • Petunia A trumpet-shaped bedding flower in the same plant family as the tomato and the potato.
  • Primrose A pale yellow flower of early spring; its name comes from the Latin for first rose.
  • Rhododendron An evergreen shrub with large flower clusters; azaleas belong to the same genus.
  • Snapdragon A flower that opens and shuts like a small mouth when you squeeze its sides.
  • Verbena A sun-loving plant with flat clusters of small flowers, popular in hanging baskets.
  • Wisteria A woody climbing vine with long hanging clusters of purple flowers.

Cooking Terms 32

  • Allspice One dried berry that tastes like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together.
  • Braising Slow cooking in a covered pot with a little liquid.
  • Buttermilk A tangy cultured milk used in pancakes and biscuits.
  • Caramelize To cook sugar, or the sugars in onions, until brown and sweet.
  • Cardamom A spice of small seed pods, used in curries and sweet breads.
  • Coriander The dried seeds of the plant whose leaves Americans call cilantro.
  • Cornstarch A fine white powder used to thicken sauces and gravies.
  • Emulsion A smooth blend of two liquids that do not normally mix, such as oil and vinegar.
  • Garnish A small edible decoration added to a finished dish.
  • Julienne To cut vegetables into thin matchstick strips.
  • Kneading Working dough with the hands until it turns smooth and stretchy.
  • Mandoline A flat slicer with a fixed blade, for cutting very thin, even slices.
  • Marinade A seasoned liquid that meat or vegetables soak in before cooking.
  • Marjoram A mild, sweet herb closely related to oregano.
  • Molasses The thick dark syrup left over when sugar is refined.
  • Oregano A strong-flavored herb common in Italian and Greek cooking.
  • Paprika A red powder ground from dried sweet peppers.
  • Parchment Nonstick paper used to line a baking sheet.
  • Poaching Cooking gently in liquid kept just below a simmer.
  • Proofing Leaving shaped dough to rise before it is baked.
  • Ramekin A small straight-sided dish for baking one serving.
  • Reduction A sauce thickened by boiling off part of its liquid.
  • Saffron A golden spice made from the dried threads of a crocus flower, picked by hand.
  • Saucepan A deep pot with one long handle.
  • Seasoning Salt, herbs or spices added to bring out flavor.
  • Shallot A small, mild member of the onion family that grows in clusters.
  • Sourdough Bread raised with a fermented starter in place of packaged yeast.
  • Stockpot A tall, wide pot for making broth or soup in quantity.
  • Tarragon A narrow-leaved herb with a light licorice taste.
  • Thermometer A probe that reads the temperature inside a roast.
  • Turmeric A bright yellow spice ground from a root, used in curry powder.
  • Vinaigrette A salad dressing of oil and vinegar.

World Travel 32

  • Aqueduct A bridge-like channel built to carry water across a valley.
  • Archipelago A group or chain of islands.
  • Boulevard A wide city street, often lined with trees.
  • Cathedral The main church of a bishop's district, often the grandest building in an old city.
  • Citadel A fortress on high ground that guards a city.
  • Cobblestone A rounded paving stone in the streets of many old towns.
  • Concierge The hotel staff member who books tables, tickets and tours for guests.
  • Currency The money a country uses.
  • Customs The border office that checks what travelers bring into a country.
  • Departure The time a train or plane leaves.
  • Embassy The office of one country's ambassador in another country's capital.
  • Excursion A short outing made from the place where you are staying.
  • Funicular A cable railway on a steep slope, with two cars that balance each other.
  • Glacier A slow river of ice.
  • Gondola A flat-bottomed boat rowed with one oar on the canals of Venice.
  • Guidebook A book of maps, sights and advice for one place.
  • Hemisphere Half of the globe, such as the part north of the equator.
  • Itinerary The written plan of a trip: where you go and on which day.
  • Landmark A building or feature that is easy to recognize from far away.
  • Layover A wait between two flights on one trip.
  • Longitude Distance east or west on the globe, measured in degrees.
  • Marketplace An open square where stalls sell food and goods.
  • Meridian A line on a map running from pole to pole.
  • Monastery A place where monks live and work.
  • Panorama A wide view in every direction.
  • Peninsula Land with water on three sides.
  • Phrasebook A pocket book of useful sentences in another language.
  • Promenade A paved public walk, often along a seafront.
  • Sightseeing Visiting the famous places of a town.
  • Timetable A chart of when trains or buses leave and arrive.
  • Vineyard A farm that grows grapes.
  • Waterfront The part of a town that faces a harbor, river or lake.

The 1960s 32

  • Astronaut A person trained to fly in space; the word the American, European and Japanese programs use.
  • Beehive A tall, rounded, piled-up hairstyle that shares its name with a home for honeybees.
  • Bouffant A hairstyle puffed out high and wide around the head.
  • Capsule The small crew cabin at the top of a rocket.
  • Cassette A small plastic case holding two reels of tape; the compact kind arrived in 1963.
  • Convertible A car with a roof that folds down.
  • Cosmonaut A space traveler in the Soviet program.
  • Countdown The seconds called out in reverse before a launch.
  • Discotheque A nightclub for dancing to recorded music.
  • Hootenanny An informal folk music gathering where the audience sings along.
  • Hypertext Text with links that lead to other text; the word was coined in 1965.
  • Integration Bringing people of all races together in the same schools and public places.
  • Interstate A numbered highway in the national network that crosses state lines.
  • Launchpad The platform a rocket lifts off from.
  • Mainframe A large central computer that could fill a room.
  • Medicare The United States health insurance program for people 65 and older, signed into law in 1965.
  • Miniskirt A very short skirt that became a fashion trend during this decade.
  • Moonwalk A walk on the lunar surface, first made in July 1969.
  • Paisley A fabric pattern of curved teardrop shapes.
  • Psychedelic Describes the swirling, brightly colored poster art of the late part of the decade.
  • Satellite An object placed in orbit around the Earth.
  • Sideburns Hair grown down the sides of the face in front of the ears.
  • Skateboard A short board on four wheels, ridden standing up.
  • Spacewalk Time spent outside the capsule in orbit; the first one was in March 1965.
  • Splashdown The end of a space flight, when the crew cabin parachutes into the ocean.
  • Supersonic Faster than the speed of sound.
  • Tambourine A shallow hand drum with metal jingles in its frame.
  • Transistor The tiny electronic switch that made pocket radios possible.
  • Transplant Surgery that gives a patient a donor organ; the first human heart operation of this kind was in December 1967.
  • Turntable The spinning platter of a record player.
  • Turtleneck A sweater with a high, close-fitting, folded collar.
  • Weightless Floating freely, as crews do in orbit.

Birds of the World 32

  • Albatross A long-winged seabird; the largest kinds have the widest wingspan of any bird.
  • Cassowary A large flightless bird of New Guinea and northern Australia with a horny crest on its head.
  • Cormorant A dark diving bird that catches fish, then holds its wings out in the sun.
  • Flamingo A tall pink wading bird that often stands on one leg.
  • Goldfinch A small finch with yellow and black feathers.
  • Grosbeak A finch-like bird with a large, thick bill for cracking seeds.
  • Hummingbird A tiny bird that can hover in place; it is named for the sound of its wings.
  • Kestrel A small falcon that hovers in one spot while it hunts.
  • Killdeer A plover named for its call; it fakes a broken wing to distract predators from its nest.
  • Kingfisher A bright, big-headed bird that plunges into water for fish.
  • Kookaburra An Australian kingfisher whose call sounds like laughter.
  • Lyrebird A ground bird of Australia that mimics natural and artificial sounds.
  • Meadowlark A grassland songbird with a yellow breast marked by a black crescent.
  • Mockingbird A gray songbird that copies the songs of other birds.
  • Nightingale A small songbird known for its powerful song, heard after dark as well as by day.
  • Nuthatch A small bird that can climb down a tree trunk headfirst.
  • Ostrich The largest living bird; it cannot fly but runs fast.
  • Partridge A plump, short-tailed game bird of fields and farmland.
  • Penguin A flightless seabird, found almost entirely south of the equator, that swims with its wings.
  • Peregrine A falcon famous for the speed of its hunting dive.
  • Pheasant A long-tailed game bird; the male has brilliant feathers.
  • Ptarmigan A northern grouse whose feathers turn white in winter.
  • Roadrunner A long-legged desert bird of the cuckoo family that runs far more than it flies.
  • Sandpiper A small shorebird with a long, slender bill.
  • Sapsucker A North American woodpecker that feeds on the sweet liquid seeping from holes in tree bark.
  • Spoonbill A wading bird with a long bill that is flat and rounded at the tip.
  • Starling A glossy, speckled black bird whose huge flocks are called murmurations.
  • Tanager A forest songbird of the Americas; the males are often brightly colored.
  • Vulture A large bird with a bare head that feeds on dead animals.
  • Warbler A small, active songbird that eats insects.
  • Waxwing A sleek crested bird named for red feather tips that look like drops of sealing wax.
  • Woodpecker A bird that drums on tree trunks and chisels out insects with its bill.

At the Orchestra 32

  • Allegro A tempo marking that means fast and lively.
  • Andante A tempo marking that means at a walking pace.
  • Arpeggio The notes of a chord played one after another.
  • Baritone The male singing voice between tenor and bass.
  • Bassoon A long double-reed woodwind with a deep voice.
  • Cadenza A showy solo passage near the end of a movement.
  • Concerto A work that sets one solo instrument against the orchestra.
  • Conductor The person who leads the players with a baton.
  • Crescendo A gradual increase in loudness.
  • Ensemble A group of musicians who perform together.
  • Glockenspiel A set of tuned metal bars struck with small hammers.
  • Harpsichord A keyboard instrument whose strings are plucked, not struck.
  • Intermezzo A short piece played between the acts of a longer work.
  • Libretto The printed words of an opera.
  • Metronome A device that ticks out a steady beat.
  • Movement One complete section of a longer work.
  • Nocturne A dreamy piece that suggests the night.
  • Ovation Long, enthusiastic applause, often standing.
  • Overture The piece played before the curtain rises on an opera.
  • Percussion The family of instruments that are struck or shaken.
  • Piccolo A half-size flute that plays an octave higher.
  • Pizzicato Played by plucking the strings, not bowing them.
  • Quartet A group of four players, or a piece written for them.
  • Rehearsal A practice session before the performance.
  • Rhapsody A free-flowing piece in one movement, full of contrast.
  • Serenade Music written to be played outdoors in the evening.
  • Soprano The highest singing voice.
  • Staccato Played in short, detached notes.
  • Symphony A long work for full orchestra, usually in four parts.
  • Timpani The large tuned kettledrums at the back of the stage.
  • Virtuoso A performer of outstanding technical skill.
  • Woodwind The family that includes the flute, oboe and clarinet.

Book Club 32

  • Allegory A story whose characters and events stand for deeper ideas.
  • Antagonist The character who stands against the hero.
  • Anthology A collection of short works by different writers.
  • Biography The story of a real person's life, written by someone else.
  • Bookmark A strip that keeps your place.
  • Chapter One numbered section of a book.
  • Cliffhanger A chapter ending that leaves the reader in suspense.
  • Denouement The final part of a story, where the loose ends are tied up.
  • Dialogue The words the characters say to each other.
  • Dystopia An imagined society where life has gone badly wrong.
  • Epilogue A closing section that tells what happened afterward.
  • Flashback A scene that jumps back to an earlier time.
  • Footnote A numbered comment printed at the bottom of a page.
  • Foreshadow To hint early at what will happen later in the story.
  • Foreword A short introduction, usually written by someone other than the author.
  • Hardcover A book bound in stiff boards.
  • Hyperbole Wild exaggeration used for effect.
  • Manuscript An author's text before it is published.
  • Metaphor A figure of speech that calls one thing another, with no like or as.
  • Mystery A story built around a puzzle or a crime to be solved.
  • Narrator The voice that tells the story.
  • Novella A work of fiction longer than a short story and shorter than a full-length book.
  • Onomatopoeia The use of words that sound like what they name, such as buzz and hiss.
  • Paperback A book with a flexible card cover.
  • Parable A short, simple story that teaches a lesson.
  • Playwright A person who writes for the stage.
  • Prologue An opening section that comes before the first chapter.
  • Protagonist The main character of a story.
  • Pseudonym A pen name.
  • Subplot A second, smaller story that runs beside the main one.
  • Thriller A fast-moving story of danger and suspense.
  • Trilogy A set of three related books.

Architecture 32

  • Archway A passage under a curved span.
  • Balustrade A railing held up by a row of short posts.
  • Banister The handrail of a stairway.
  • Blueprint A detailed technical plan of a building.
  • Bungalow A low house of one story, often with a wide front porch.
  • Buttress A mass of masonry built against a wall to support it.
  • Cantilever A beam fixed at one end only, like a balcony with no posts.
  • Clerestory A high band of windows above the adjoining roofs.
  • Cloister A covered walk around an open court in a monastery.
  • Colonnade A row of evenly spaced columns.
  • Cornice The decorative molding along the top of a wall or building.
  • Courtyard An open space enclosed by walls or buildings.
  • Gargoyle A carved stone creature that spouts rainwater clear of a wall.
  • Keystone The wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch that locks the others in place.
  • Mantelpiece The shelf above a fireplace.
  • Mezzanine A low partial floor between two main floors.
  • Minaret The slender tower of a mosque.
  • Parapet A low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony.
  • Pediment The low triangular gable above a classical entrance.
  • Pergola A garden walkway roofed with open beams for climbing plants.
  • Pilaster A flat column that projects slightly from a wall.
  • Portico A roofed porch with columns at the entrance of a building.
  • Rotunda A round building or hall, usually under a dome.
  • Skylight A window set into a roof.
  • Skyscraper A very tall city building.
  • Staircase A flight of steps with its framework and railing.
  • Steeple A church tower topped with a spire.
  • Terrazzo A polished floor of stone chips set in cement.
  • Transom A small window above a door.
  • Veranda A long roofed porch along the outside of a house.
  • Vestibule A small entrance hall between the outer door and the interior.
  • Wainscot Wood paneling on the lower part of an interior wall.

How this list was compiled: Eight lists of 32 words, 256 in all, written for this site for adult solvers. Every word has 7 to 12 letters, no word is in two lists, and no word hides inside another. Spellings are American, checked in Webster's Second and on Wiktionary. Clue facts were checked against English Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) on 2026-09-19 and 2026-09-20. Licence: own work

How it works

This word search printable for adults opens ready to print or solve: 28 garden flowers, drawn from 32 that include Delphinium and Nasturtium, hidden in a 20 by 20 grid in all eight directions.

Read the full guide

Eight themes, no short words

Start from a list holds 8 themes: Garden Flowers, Cooking Terms, World Travel, The 1960s, Birds of the World, At the Orchestra, Book Club and Architecture. Each has 32 words of 7 to 12 letters, such as Archipelago, Pizzicato and Clerestory. Or type up to 40 of your own in the list under the grid.

A hard word search for adults, or a gentler one

The page opens on Hard: words read forward, backward and along both diagonals. For advanced word search puzzles for adults, open More options and set Word list to Show clues, not words. The World Travel sheet then says "A slow river of ice", so you think of Glacier before you hunt. That sheet prints on 3 pages. For a gentler one press Medium or Easy.

  • Look for a word's rarest letter first, such as the X in Foxglove or the Z in Pizzicato.

Questions and answers

How big does the 20 by 20 grid print?

With 22 or 28 words the grid prints 15 cm wide, so each square is 7.5 mm and the letters come out near 13 point; 16 words give 17 cm and 14.5 point. For bigger type, the large print page prints letters near 28 point.

What makes a word search printable for adults hard?

Longer words, more directions and less help. Every list keeps to words of 7 letters or more, Hard hides them in all eight directions, and the Word list menu can swap the words for clues or letter counts.

How do I get free printable word searches for adults (PDF)?

Press Print or save as PDF and choose Save as PDF in the print window. The file has 2 pages: the puzzle, then its answer key.

Are these free word search puzzles for adults online too?

Yes. Tap a word's first letter, then its last, to mark it. A timer starts with your first tap.

Will I get the same word find twice?

No. New puzzle picks 28 of the list's 32 words at random and builds a fresh grid around them, so a second sheet on the same theme has different words in different places.

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