1
as in spine
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal
found the backbone of a fish lying on the beach
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
it takes backbone to stand up to the kind of suffering that some cancer patients must endure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backbone
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin, the backbone of the organization for the foreseeable future, made 29 saves in a glimpse of what the future could look like if general manager Chris Drury can successfully recalibrate the roster.
—
CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Hundreds of animals with backbones are still being discovered every single year.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Volunteers are the backbone of that support.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
But jihadists still make up the backbone of its forces.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backbone
CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Hundreds of animals with backbones are still being discovered every single year.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Volunteers are the backbone of that support.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
But jihadists still make up the backbone of its forces.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backbone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbone
Noun
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The foundation of San Diego’s fast start has been an organized, increasingly authoritative defensive spine led by Christopher McVey, Manu Duah and Kieran Sargeant.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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This is the sort of ecological abundance that has long attracted travelers to the Amazon River, South America's liquid spine and one of the last refuges for jaguars in the world.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is a chance to rewrite an old memory with compassion and quiet courage.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The director, who wanted to tell an epic adventure where emotional courage was as powerful as magic, crafted this tale about identity, sisterhood and belonging, aimed at family audiences with strong crossover appeal for epic fantasy audiences, with strong female leads.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If winning is the only goal, then war is, by profound inference, a game, a test of masculine fortitude.—
Casey Ryan Kelly,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
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Minutes later, that had ballooned to a 24-2 avalanche, with UNC completely buried — like almost every Duke opponent the last month — by the Blue Devils’ length and defensive fortitude.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The new lantern instead matches the modal capacity of the lasers and the fiber.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Add Greek yogurt for extra protein, chia seeds for fiber, or a few chocolate chips because kids will be more excited about a jar with chocolate chips than a bowl of cereal.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tips on Preventing Injury, From a Run Coach Run coach Meg Takacs, the founder of Movement and Miles—an app that helps runners build mobility and stamina—says this study’s findings track with what she’s seen with her athletes.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
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Gudmundsson’s stamina was on show at the end of that match, too.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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By channeling talent and grit, Bhatia proved a deserving winner the galleries at Bay Hill could get behind.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Conning off the bench, Harvey showed determination and grit with his hustle plays.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Classical music begins with blood and guts.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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Sources familiar with the intelligence say that Khamenei believed no one had the guts to strike him.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Family friends say the crash not only left the community heartbroken but also revealed an extraordinary act of bravery by one of the surviving children.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Mamdani thanked both men for their bravery after also recognizing them in a private meeting.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbone. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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