bulwark

/ˈbʊl.wək/

//ˈbʊl.wək// noun

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

"bulwark" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bulwark” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #38,770 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#38,770
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A defensive wall or rampart.

Key facts for bulwark
PropertyValue
Headwordbulwark
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʊl.wək/
Letters7
Frequency rank#38,770
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bulwark” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). bulwark lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for bulwark is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbʊl.wək/. Corpus data places it at rank #38,770 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for bulwark, with forms such as "bbulwark", "bluwark", and "bulawrk". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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 boulevar… The correct English form is bulwark, spelled B-U-L-W-A-R-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A defensive wall or rampart.
  2. 2
    A defense or safeguard.
  3. 3
    A breakwater.
  4. 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. 5
    Any means of defence or security.

Etymology

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.

This word in other languages

baluarte(Español)rempart(Français)Bollwerk(Deutsch)baluarte(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbulwark,bluwark,bulawrk,bullwark,bulwakr,bulwarkk,bulwarrk,bulwrak,bulwwark,buwlark,ublwark

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bulwark - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

bbulwark1bluwark2bulawrk2bullwark1bulwakr2bulwarkk1bulwarrk1bulwrak2
Edit distance from "bulwark"

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 "bulwark"?
"bulwark" is spelled B-U-L-W-A-R-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʊl.wək/.
What does "bulwark" mean?
As a noun, "bulwark" means: A defensive wall or rampart.
What are common misspellings of "bulwark"?
Common misspellings include "bbulwark", "bluwark", "bulawrk", "bullwark", "bulwakr". The correct spelling is "bulwark".
How do you pronounce "bulwark"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bulwark" is /ˈbʊl.wək/. 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 "bulwark"?
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 Frenc... 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.

Using “bulwark”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-U-L-W-A-R-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbʊl.wək/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list