# backfire vs backline

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### backfire
*noun · IPA /bækˈfaɪə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #24,988*
A premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in the wrong direction.

### backline
*noun · frequency rank #40,571*
Alternative form of back line.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/backfire-vs-backline