as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
an invertebrate Congress that blithely went along with the President's ill-conceived plan
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of invertebrate
Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 3 Feb. 2023
A year later, the state budgeted $10 million to pull DNA out of historic insect collections, as well as to launch ambitious new field studies to better understand the extent of California’s invertebrate biodiversity.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2022
Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
This gelatinous blob is an invertebrate called a bryozoan, specifically the species Pectinatella magnifica.
—Laura Baisas Aug 20, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invertebrate
Adjective
Jessica Ware is associate curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 3 Feb. 2023
A year later, the state budgeted $10 million to pull DNA out of historic insect collections, as well as to launch ambitious new field studies to better understand the extent of California’s invertebrate biodiversity.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2022
Noun
Researchers in the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, have discovered two unusual invertebrate species through the first study of its kind in more than 100 years.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
This gelatinous blob is an invertebrate called a bryozoan, specifically the species Pectinatella magnifica.
—Laura Baisas Aug 20, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invertebrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invertebrate
Adjective
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Its formula of ceramides, astaxanthin, and arginine strengthen, provide elasticity, and heal weak or broken hair.—
Olivia Dubyak,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026
-
These winds could occasionally trigger minor (G1-level) geomagnetic storm activity, though displays are expected to be weaker and more sporadic than those seen over the weekend.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The animals can grow to more than 20 feet long, weigh more than a ton and can live for nearly 400 years, making the species the longest-living vertebrate on the planet—a fact that could help unlock secrets to enhancing longevity.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
9 Jan. 2026
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Ethanol is a potential toxin for all vertebrates, including bats and humans.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, while healthy individuals may experience flu-like symptoms.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s malice and incompetence alienates voters, who then publicly voice their discontent, encouraging other political actors and institutions to see him not as a crusading avatar of national destiny but as a weakened figure.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To protect your lilacs against hooved herbivores, install tall fencing or cages around your lilac bushes.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
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Reportedly, the site reveals a densely populated environment where this predator lived alongside freshwater sharks, bony fish, turtles, and crocodiles, as well as massive herbivores like sauropods and iguanodontians.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Between its dig-free straps, silky-soft performance fabric, and light Spanxsmooth compression, this one-and-done outfit is a unicorn of travel-friendly pieces, offering all-day comfort in one singular silhouette that’s just as easy to style under a cardigan, zip-up, or jacket.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Shoppers agree the set feels ultra-soft.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The absence of tooth marks on the mandibles does not imply that other parts of the bodies were not consumed by hyenas or other carnivores.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The hominin bones and animal remains make up an assemblage of fossils that appear to come from the den of a carnivore, perhaps a hyena.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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My candidacy is a symbol of the end of the weak-kneed, feckless Republican leadership of Mitch McConnell, and the spineless swamp jellyfish that are in the United States Senate representing the Republicans.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Because Republicans in Congress are spineless.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invertebrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invertebrate. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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