# bale vs brake

> 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.

### brake
*noun · IPA /bɹeɪk/ · frequency rank #7,655*
A device used to slow or stop the motion of a wheel, or of a vehicle, usually by friction (although other resistive forces, such as electromagnetic fields or aerodynamic drag, can also be used); also, the controls or apparatus used to engage such a mechanism such as the pedal in a car.

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