bulwark
/ˈbʊl.wɚk/noun, verb
bulwark is spelled B-U-L-W-A-R-K: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,863rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, bulwark means “A defensive wall or rampart” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of bulwark is bulwarks.
How many letters and syllables are in bulwark?
| Letters | 7: B-U-L-W-A-R-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 38,863rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is bulwark?
Bulwark appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,863rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce bulwark?
- UK /ˈbʊl.wək/
- US /ˈbʊl.wɚk/
- /ˈbʉl.wəɹk/
Bulwark has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-bulwark.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of bulwark
- bulwarks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- bulwarking participle, present
- bulwarked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does bulwark mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A defensive wall or rampart.
- 2
A defense or safeguard.
- 3
A breakwater.
- 4
The planking or plating along the sides of a nautical vessel above her gunwale that reduces the likelihood of seas washing over the gunwales and people being washed overboard.
- 5
Any means of defence or security.
The party stalwarts constitute the bulwark that ensures the president's term of office.
verb
- 1
To fortify something with a wall or rampart.
- 2
To provide protection of defense for something.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Bulwark in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | rempart , bastion , bastingage, pavois |
| German | Bollwerk , Schanzkleid |
| Portuguese | baluarte , amurada |
| Spanish | baluarte , amurada |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does bulwark come from?
From Middle English bulwerk, from Middle Dutch bolwerk, bolwerc and Middle Low German bolwerk, equivalent to bole (“tree trunk”) + work. Cognate with German Bollwerk, Danish bolværk, Swedish bålverk, Dutch bolwerk. Doublet of boulevard (from French boulevard, from Dutch); cognate with Portuguese and Spanish baluarte and Italian baluardo.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).