# bale vs bilge

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### bale
*noun · IPA /beɪl/ · frequency rank #12,731*
Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death.

### bilge
*noun · IPA /bɪld͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #43,058*
The rounded portion of a ship's hull, forming a transition between the bottom and the sides.

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