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 As the pancetta cooks, its savory, aromatic drippings become the backbone of the dish. — Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 Later, North Korea’s Nodong-1 missile was adapted into the Shahab-3—the backbone of Iran’s modern long-range strike capabilities, including variants like the Emad and Ghadr. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Aug. 2026 So Black voters are known as the backbone of the Democratic Party because about 80 to 90% of Black voters vote Democrat. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 Three veterans in Samson Okunlola, Matt McCoy and Ryan Rodriguez form the backbone of the group. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 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
  • Her spine and hamstring were injured in the course of the chase, the district attorney’s office said.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The second round of storms developed farther west, near the spine of the Appalachian Mountains Thursday afternoon as a cold front started to push into the Northeast from the Ohio Valley.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of spine
Noun
  • As her translator, Anedda’s thought, as well as some of her courage, became part of my existence in the long months such a project entails.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • With their conceit, the clout chasers have turned his courage into a template without asking what made the original worth copying.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of courage
Noun
  • Richards somehow had the fortitude to continue a grueling European tour in the middle of all this chaos and sorrow, but a stadium run through America at the end of the summer was simply too much to ask.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Camping can be either a delightful pastime or a test of fortitude, depending largely on the bug situation.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fortitude
Noun
  • From Long Island to orbit The new FSO connection is not intended to replace fiber.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Some appeal appraisals have relied on sales of much smaller or older buildings, or buildings in less desirable areas without access to the same power and fiber lines.
    — Alex Nitkin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of fiber
Noun
  • That's far better than most other gaming handhelds, especially compared with my personal Pocket, which has seen a severe drop in stamina over the last few years and can now only last two or three hours at best.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But what stuck out more than the Giants’ toughness in those skirmishes was their football stamina.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stamina
Noun
  • His exceptional talent, determination, and grit will leave a lasting legacy at NASA.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Seafood is the star of the show here—especially the shrimp and grits and crab cakes, which Bernthal says are a must-order.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • But to me, the guts and the root of the whole thing is the writing.
    — Jewly Hight, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Newcastle United Newcastle United 2 Liverpool 2 The kick-in-the-guts last-gasp equaliser apart, this was fun.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guts
Noun
  • The size of the wave highlights the ocean’s raw power and the bravery of the surfer.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • That, compounded by plummeting hormones that cause vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, makes this moment for many midlife women a test in bravery.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on backbone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about backbone

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