Sort words in a list

Sort a list of words alphabetically, numerically, or by character length. Input must be one word per line - for running prose, pre-tokenize with Split a list on whitespace first. Same op as Sort a list; this page is the word-focused framing.

Input
Ready
Output
Live

Line-based word sort, three modes

Alphabetical mode uses `localeCompare` with `numeric: true`, so `item2` sorts before `item10` (natural-order) and accents compare the way a human reader expects (`é` near `e`, not stranded after `z`). Case defaults to insensitive; toggle Case sensitive to make `Apple` and `apple` distinct.

Numeric mode treats each line as a float via `parseFloat` - handy for words like `12`, `3.5`, or `-7` mixed into the list. Length mode sorts by `line.length` with alphabetical as the tiebreaker, so two 4-letter words come out alphabetical.

The sort is line-based. A line with `apple orange banana` counts as one 20-character string, not three words - pre-tokenize with Split on whitespace if your input is running prose. Duplicates are kept in input order (stable since ES2019).

How to use sort words in a list

  1. 1Enter your list of words in the input panel
  2. 2Select the desired Order from the dropdown
  3. 3Choose the Mode for sorting
  4. 4Toggle Case sensitive if needed
  5. 5Copy the sorted results from the output panel

Keyboard shortcuts

Drive ListShift without touching the mouse.

Shortcut Action
Ctrl ZUndo last input change
Ctrl Shift ZRedo
Ctrl Shift EnterToggle fullscreen focus on the editor
EscExit fullscreen
Ctrl KOpen the command palette to jump to any tool
Ctrl SSave current pipeline draft Plus
Ctrl PRun a saved pipeline Plus

What Sort List Words Lets You Do

Three sort modes (alphabetical, numeric, length) on line-split input, Unicode-aware by default.

Sort words alphabetically

Arrange words in alphabetical order with ease. Adjust the Order setting to switch between ascending and descending.

Organize words by length

Sort words based on their length, either from shortest to longest or vice versa, using the Mode option.

Handle case sensitivity

Toggle the Case sensitive option to decide if uppercase and lowercase should be treated as distinct.

One word per line required

The op is line-based. A line with `apple orange banana` is treated as a single 3-word string, not three words. Pre-tokenize with Split on whitespace for prose input.

Sort numeric values

If your input is numeric, switch Mode to Numeric for `parseFloat`-based ordering. For shuffle/random order, use Shuffle a list instead.

Worked example

Default Alphabetical mode, A→Z, case-insensitive.

Input
banana
apple
cherry
Date
Output
apple
banana
cherry
Date

Settings Reference

Understand how each option affects the outcome using the example above.

Setting What it does Effect on the sample
Mode: Alphabetical (default), Order: A→Z Unicode-aware sort, natural-order numerics `apple` / `banana` / `cherry` / `Date`
Order: Z→A Reverses direction for any mode `Date` / `cherry` / `banana` / `apple`
Mode: By length Character count ascending, alphabetical tiebreak `Date` (4) / `apple` (5) / `banana` (6) / `cherry` (6)
Case sensitive: on Separates uppercase and lowercase `Date` sorts distinctly from lowercase words
Mode: Numeric `parseFloat` each line; non-numeric lines compare as "equal" to everything and keep their input-relative position All four words parse as `NaN` → every comparison is treated as equal → stable sort preserves input order: `banana` / `apple` / `cherry` / `Date`

FAQ

Does it split prose into words automatically?
No. The op is line-based. For running prose, run Split a list with whitespace separator first, then feed the one-word-per-line output into this tool.
How is this different from Sort a list / Sort list lines?
Same op, same options. Different URL framing for different search intents. Output is identical on the same input.
Can I shuffle words randomly?
Not with this tool - sort is deterministic. Use Shuffle a list for randomization.
What happens to duplicates?
They are sorted alongside the rest. To remove duplicates after sorting, chain Dedupe.
How are mixed cases handled?
Case sensitive off (default) treats `Apple` and `apple` as equal for ordering. On distinguishes them - uppercase typically sorts before lowercase under default locale rules.