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 Melting snow and glacial ice feed the Kabul River, which cuts through the city, and recharge aquifers, which form the backbone of the city’s water system, supplying 80% of residents. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Easy breakfast ideas for busy mornings Getting something in your stomach before an early class is rough after a late night, so quick breakfast options are the backbone of eating well in a dorm. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 The house and its grounds form the backbone of filming locations, though certain spaces on the property were either too cramped or did not provide the right lighting for film production. — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026 The agency had to completely overhaul its outdated technological backbone, Patel told Fox News Digital. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 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
  • This will form the spine of the story, and in a way its point.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In giving form to their resistance to Bicentennial events, the anti-catalog retrospectively contests any national fascia union in aesthetics, even though the role of the state was a spine.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of spine
Noun
  • As Earth faces an overwhelming alien threat, these young aviators are thrown into relentless combat that tests their loyalty, courage and faith in one another.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • One woman writing for Hers described spending about an hour working up the courage for her first weight-loss shot, only to find the thin needle barely hurt.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of courage
Noun
  • But more importantly — and what comes with age — is having the fortitude not to follow them.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of fortitude
Noun
  • Plums contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, but soluble fiber may be especially helpful for cholesterol.
    — Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Those grooves encouraged the cells to line up and fuse into fibers that could pull together more effectively.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiber
Noun
  • Under that gorgeous screen, the watch is packed with 32GB of storage, tons of sports modes to track your activities, and a myriad of other metrics, including overall stamina, sleep, VO2 max, recovery insights, and even wrist power.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ambitious mukbang-ers eager to prove their gastronomic stamina descended on Red Lobster locations across the country to consume absurd quantities of shrimp.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stamina
Noun
  • Trying to install your own grit mentality with a roster full of transfers, which is common now in college football, has not produced results in Boulder.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The work still requires grit, focus, judgment and management.
    — Tara Youngblood, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • In other words, something changed, but the study can’t tell us whether those changes actually made participants’ guts healthier.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Did anyone involved have the guts to tell him that this was a bad idea?
    — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of guts
Noun
  • His bravery and commitment deserve mountains of reverence, of course.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Machchhar’s actions have received widespread praise from political leaders, passengers who were onboard, those who know him as well as strangers who gathered in his home town to celebrate his bravery.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bravery

Browse Nearby Words

backbiting
backbone
backboned
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Cite this Entry

“Backbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbone. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on backbone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about backbone

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