backstop

/ˈbæk.stɒp/

//ˈbæk.stɒp// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"backstop" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“backstop” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #46,921. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#46,921
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.

Corpus desk

Index EN-backstop · backstop · English

backstop · rank #46,921 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #46,921
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH Bauhaus

Nearest frequency peer: Bauhaus (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “backstop”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “backstop” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

backstop vs backstory
78% similar
backstop vs backdrop
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for backstop
PropertyValue
Headwordbackstop
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbæk.stɒp/
Letters8
Frequency rank#46,921
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “backstop”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).backstoplands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Bauhaus” (#46,922), “asunder” (#46,915), “astrophysical” (#46,914). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “backstop” is #46,921. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around backstop (IPA /ˈbæk.stɒp/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #46,921 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for backstop, with forms such as "abckstop", "bacckstop", and "backkstop". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "backstory", "backdrop", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From back + stop. The correct English form is backstop, spelled B-A-C-K-S-T-O-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.
  2. 2
    A default arrangement that holds if all else fails.
  3. 3
    A wall or fence behind home plate.
  4. 4
    A catcher; the position of catcher.
  5. 5
    The player who stands immediately behind the striking base.
  6. 6
    The longstop.
  7. 7
    The wicket-keeper.
  8. 8
    Something serving to bolster or support a cover story etc.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how backstop appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, this morning, said a time-limited backstop would be unacceptable, and has previously promised to vote down the UK’s Brexit withdrawal deal unless it features a satisfactory backstop.
  2. "The 2½ years since have been about hammering home these points in any European capital that would listen. And in spite of capacity-sapping talks on the first point – Brexit, border and backstop – the Department of Foreign Affairs and other government departments have been working quietly to make good on the second.

Etymology

From back + stop.

This word in other languages

Rückhalt(Deutsch)respaldo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • abckstop
  • bacckstop
  • backkstop
  • backsotp
  • backsstop
  • backstopp
  • backstpo
  • backsttop
  • backtsop
  • bacsktop
  • bakcstop
  • bbackstop
  • bcakstop

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of backstop - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

abckstop2bacckstop1backkstop1backsotp2backsstop1backstopp1backstpo2backsttop1
Edit distance from "backstop"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "backstop"?
"backstop" is spelled B-A-C-K-S-T-O-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbæk.stɒp/.
What does "backstop" mean?
As a noun, "backstop" means: An object or a person put in the rear or in the back of something to reinforce, hold, support.
What words are commonly confused with "backstop"?
"backstop" is commonly confused with "backstory", "backdrop". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "backstop"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "backstop" is /ˈbæk.stɒp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "backstop"?
From back + stop. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "backstop", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

amniotic#46,902adherent#46,890Carrillo#46,966wrenches#46,874

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

binocular13 variantsbioethics13 variantsadulation13 variantsZealander13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list