bulwark
8 synonyms for bulwark, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A strong wall built for defence.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Comes from Middle English bulwerk, from Middle Dutch bolwerk, bolwerc and Middle Low German bolwerk, equivalent to bole ("tree trunk") plus work. It is cognate with German Bollwerk, Danish bolværk, Swedish bålverk and Dutch bolwerk, and is a doublet of boulevard (from French boulevard, from Dutch); it is also cognate w...
Full origin of bulwark →