Accent Crossword Clues and Answers (DIACRITIC, UMLAUT, BROGUE and More)
The most common accent crossword answers are DIACRITIC (9), UMLAUT (6), TILDE (5), CIRCUMFLEX (10), BROGUE (6), COCKNEY (7), DRAWL (5), TWANG (5) and LILT (4). Find your clue in the table below, then confirm the answer with the crossing letters before you write it in.
Crossword setters use "accent" in two ways. Sometimes they mean a written mark on a letter. Sometimes they mean a way of speaking. The tables are split the same way.
Clues about written accent marks
| Clue | Letters | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accent mark (starts with DI) | 9 | DIACRITIC | The general term for any mark added to a letter |
| German accent mark | 6 | UMLAUT | The two dots over ä, ö and ü |
| Accent over a Spanish word | 5 | TILDE | The wavy line on ñ; in Spanish "tilde" also means any written accent |
| Accent over vowels in French | 10 | CIRCUMFLEX | The hat mark on â, ê, î, ô, û |
| Accent placed over a vowel | 5 | ACUTE or GRAVE | Both are 5-letter marks that sit on vowels |
Notes on the mark answers
DIACRITIC covers every accent mark, so it fits any general clue that starts with DI. Our accent mark names page lists each type with examples.
UMLAUT is the standard answer for German. If a clue asks for the two dots without mentioning German, the answer could be different, so count the squares.
TILDE is the usual answer when a clue mentions Spanish and five letters. See the tilde letters page for how Spanish and Portuguese use it.
CIRCUMFLEX fits French clues with ten letters. French also uses the acute and grave, but neither has ten letters. The circumflex letters page shows where it appears.
ACUTE or GRAVE is the trickiest pair. Both have five letters and both sit over vowels. Look at the second square: C points to ACUTE, R points to GRAVE. Our pages on acute accent letters and grave accent letters show the difference: the acute slants up to the right (é), the grave slants down (è).
Clues about spoken accents
| Clue | Letters | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant, gentle accent | 4 | LILT (or BURR) | A soft, musical rise and fall in speech |
| Broad Irish accent | 6 | BROGUE | The classic term for a strong Irish accent |
| Strong Irish accent | 6 | BROGUE | Same answer, different wording |
| Distinctive London accent | 7 | COCKNEY | The traditional working-class accent of East London |
| Southern US accent | 5 | DRAWL | Slow speech with stretched vowels |
| Accent with elongated vowels | 5 | DRAWL | Stretched vowels are what a drawl means |
| Nasal accent | 5 | TWANG | A sharp, nasal quality in speech |
| Putting on, as a fake accent | 8 | AFFECTED | An accent that is put on rather than natural |
Notes on the speech answers
LILT vs BURR. Both have four letters. LILT suits "pleasant" or "gentle" best because it describes a musical rhythm. BURR describes a rough, rolled r and often appears in clues about Scottish or rural speech. Your crossing letters will settle it: they share no letters in the same position.
BROGUE answers both "broad Irish accent" and "strong Irish accent". A brogue is also a type of shoe, so setters sometimes use that as a double meaning.
DRAWL answers both the Southern US clue and the elongated vowels clue. TWANG has the same length and also gets linked to the American South, so check whether the clue says "nasal" (TWANG) or mentions slow or stretched speech (DRAWL).
AFFECTED fits "putting on" because an affected accent is one a speaker adopts to sound a certain way. Watch for the clue's form: "putting on" suggests an adjective or participle, which AFFECTED is.
Clues about accent as stress
In music and poetry, "accent" means emphasis. Two common clues use this meaning.
| Clue | Letters | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accent, emphasis | 6 | STRESS | Accent and stress both mean emphasis on a syllable or beat |
| Accent the normally unaccented beats | 9 | SYNCOPATE | Syncopation shifts the stress to weak beats |
Tips for solving accent clues
- Decide which "accent" the clue means. Words like German, French, Spanish, vowel or mark point to a written accent. Places like Irish, London or Southern point to speech. Words like beat, emphasis or rhythm point to stress.
- Count the squares first. Several answers share a length: TILDE, ACUTE, GRAVE, DRAWL and TWANG all have five letters.
- Use crossing letters. Always confirm with at least one crossing letter before you commit. Two answers can both fit a clue's meaning but only one fits the grid.
- Match the part of speech. "Accent the beats" is a verb clue, so the answer is a verb: SYNCOPATE. "Accent mark" is a noun clue: DIACRITIC.
- Watch for double meanings. BROGUE (accent and shoe) and STRESS (emphasis and worry) are favourites for clever clues.
If you are stuck on an anagram rather than a definition, our list of words made from the letters in ACCENT may help. To type any of the accented letters mentioned here, use the copy buttons on the homepage.
Frequently asked questions
What is an accent mark, 9 letters, starting with DI?
DIACRITIC. It is the general term for any mark added to a letter, such as an acute, grave, umlaut or tilde.
What is a broad or strong Irish accent, 6 letters?
BROGUE. It is the standard crossword answer for a strong Irish accent. Confirm it with your crossing letters.
What is a pleasant, gentle accent in 4 letters?
LILT is the most common answer, describing a soft, rising and falling way of speaking. BURR also has 4 letters, so check the crossing letters to choose.
What is an accent placed over a vowel, 5 letters?
ACUTE or GRAVE. Both are 5 letters, so you need a crossing letter: ACUTE has a C in the second square and GRAVE has an R.
Related guides
- Words Made From the Letters in ACCENT
Every word made from the letters ACCENT, grouped by length. ENACT is the only common 5-letter word. Includes 4 and 3 letter words and Scrabble tips.