1
: of, relating to, or situated near the spinal column
2
a
: of, relating to, or affecting the spinal cord
spinal reflexes
b
: having the spinal cord functionally isolated (as by surgical section) from the brain
experiments on spinal animals
3
: of, relating to, or resembling a spine
: a spinal anesthetic
Examples of spinal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
The Daily Racing Form reported Mendez, 40, had spinal surgery on Sunday and was feared to have suffered paralysis in his legs.
—Kevin Modesti, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Uber’s lawsuit alleged that many patients underwent an unnecessary spinal fusion that takes months to recover from in order to get a larger settlement.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
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Adjective
Slipping and falling can lead to fractures, head injuries and spinal injuries, with older adults at particularly high risk of serious harm because of lower bone density and higher likelihood of being on blood thinners.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
The Daily Racing Form reported Mendez, 40, had spinal surgery on Sunday and was feared to have suffered paralysis in his legs.
—Kevin Modesti, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
The Mayo Clinic describes spinal stenosis as a condition where the spaces in the backbone are too small.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Uber’s lawsuit alleged that many patients underwent an unnecessary spinal fusion that takes months to recover from in order to get a larger settlement.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spinal
Cite this Entry
“Spinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spinal. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
spinal
1 of 2 adjective
spi·nal
ˈspīn-ᵊl 
1
: of, relating to, or situated near the spinal column
2
a
: of, relating to, or affecting the spinal cord
spinal reflexes
b
: having the spinal cord functionally isolated (as by surgical section) from the brain
experiments on spinal animals
c
: used for spinal anesthesia
a spinal anesthetic
3
: made for or fitted to the spinal column
a spinal brace
spinal
2 of 2 noun
: a spinal anesthetic
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