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backbone

noun

ˈbak-ˈbōn How to pronounce backbone (audio)
Definition of backbonenext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of backbone The backbone of Trash Mountain is the relationship between Hearon’s Gavin and his sister, Abbi. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Far less attention has been paid to the industrial backbone that allows those stories to exist at scale. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 With that as the backbone, On Location has since expanded (and changed hands) to include relationships with the World Cup, Olympics and March Madness, among others. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2026 This engine will sit within a titanium ‘backbone’ that’s milled from a single billet. — New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backbone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbone
  1. spine
  2. courage
  3. fortitude
  4. fiber
  5. stamina
  6. grit
  7. guts
  8. bravery
Noun
  • After his remarkable 2025 season, Healy has found this one much more difficult, not helped by a broken sacral bone (at the base of the spine) suffered at Itzulia, the Basque Country’s WorldTour stage race, in April.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Primitive feathers O’Connor said some of the feathers looked highly similar to those present today in modern birds, with a central spine having a square cross section that would have helped make the feather stiff yet lightweight.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of spine
Noun
  • If the old Ernest Hemingway adage holds true, that courage equals grace under pressure, then Anna May Wong (1905-1961) had it in spades.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Looking back, Branagh says aside from speaking with Filkins, the film gave him a deeper appreciation of the courage required to listen and to hear and to stay in the room.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of courage
Noun
  • That mental fortitude stood out to Green during a minor-league game in which Voit started 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • To lose them both to separate suicides while facing his own mortality as an active athlete requires true fortitude.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortitude
Noun
  • Similarly, Mystic operates a nearly 100,000-square-foot production facility and specializes in advanced carbon-fiber and composite manufacturing, according to MARTAC’s June 1 announcement.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the agency’s tests relied on a less sensitive optical microscopy method that can see only larger asbestos fibers.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of fiber
Noun
  • The Brewers are nearly guaranteed a first-round bye, giving Woodruff an extra week to build stamina.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • His work rate, stamina, strength, tackling and tenacity were central to keeping the team in games and winning the ball back.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of stamina
Noun
  • Want a breakfast spot that checks all the boxes, from blackberry lime curd waffles to shrimp and grits, or a fresh, veggie-forward lunch?
    — Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026
  • This dish would be delicious served over polenta or creamy grits.
    — Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • In 1997, John Desler, a former Ole Miss defensive back, and his wife, Leelee, bought the guts of the place from James Purvis, proprietor of Purvis Pool Hall and the town’s most renowned bookie.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • But to me, the guts and the root of the whole thing is the writing.
    — Jewly Hight, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guts
Noun
  • Galeo’s practical inventions and growing trust in his sister offer a different path to bravery than the one his village has taught him.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Kyrie Irving is criticizing ESPN‘s lack of bravery for not naming Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian war victim, in a social media post about Irving’s public offer to pay an NFL player’s fine for paying tribute to Rajab during a football game.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of bravery

Browse Nearby Words

backbiting
backbone
backboned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbone. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on backbone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about backbone

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