spineless

1 lacking strength of will or character a spineless man who let his wife make all the decisions Synonyms characterless, effete, frail, invertebrate, limp-wristed, milk-and-water, namby-pamby, nerveless, soft, weak, weakened, weak-kneed, weakling, wet [British], wimpish, wimpy, wishy-washyRelated Words flabby, flaccid, forceless, ineffective, ineffectual; impotent, impuissant, powerless; emasculated, unnerved; lamblike, meek, pliable, submissive; corrupt, dastardly, unprincipled, unscrupulous, villainous; cowardly, craven, fainthearted, lily-livered, nebbishy, poltroon, pusillanimous, sissy, timid; infirm, irresolute, vacillatingNear Antonyms ethical, good, moral, principled, right, righteous, upright, virtuous; determined, mettlesome, resolute, unrelenting; courageous, stalwart, stoutheartedAntonyms backboned, firm, hard, strong, tough

2 having or showing a shameful lack of courage spineless seamen who trembled at the first roar of the cannon Synonyms chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, cowardly, unheroic, yellowRelated Words diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous; afraid, frightened, scared; careful, cautious, wary; bashful, coy, shy; feeble, soft, unmanly, weakNear Antonyms audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy; plucky, spirited, spunky; determined, resoluteAntonyms brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous