1
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
a spineless man who let his wife make all the decisions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cowardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
spineless seamen who trembled at the first roar of the cannon
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spineless
Many Democrats, including progressives, said the move was spineless on Schumer’s part.
—
Julia Manchester, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Within hours — in what could only be described as a spineless and cowardly move — the network and those broadcasters took the bait and silenced him.
—Jason Bailey, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spineless
Julia Manchester, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Within hours — in what could only be described as a spineless and cowardly move — the network and those broadcasters took the bait and silenced him.
—Jason Bailey, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Played by a sniveling Casey Siemaszko, Billy is spineless and spiteful.
—Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spineless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spineless
Adjective
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Taking new measurements, the researchers saw that as fluid gushed between cells, creating indentations in their cell membranes, bubbles mostly bulged into weaker cells.—
Clare Watson,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Feb. 2026
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Trump suggested in the aftermath of that raid that military action in Cuba might not be necessary because the island’s economy was weak enough — particularly in the absence of oil shipments from Venezuela that stopped after Maduro was taken into custody — to soon collapse on its own.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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On the flat arid plains below lives the farming community of the Bezaris, who are generally seen by the Hazerans as a group of privileged, cowardly usurers.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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We will not be defined by the cowardly acts, but instead be defined by our unwavering response and our resolve to defeat them.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Infants and children under 5 years old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune symptoms are most at risk for complications from measles.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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The illness can be dangerous or life-threatening, particularly to older adults, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And all the while, our gutless politicians watch from the sidelines so as to not interfere and risk angering their party.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
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Trump and the gutless GOP Congress may be leading America into World War III.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The material is a blend of viscose, polyester, and nylon that shoppers call surprisingly soft and stretchy.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Feb. 2026
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Creamy and soft, these shades aren't as stark as bright white and leave your nails looking clean while still feeling contemporary.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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All your really doing is physically hurting your child–which might lead them to feel angry, afraid, or betrayed.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
3 Mar. 2026
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Over its eight-year run, ABC’s The Rookie has never been afraid to color outside the lines of the network TV cop show format.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But to defend books coverage in these craven terms is already to concede too much.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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Assad’s betrayal was so breathtakingly craven that some people had trouble believing it at first.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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The second believed the United States could attain comprehensive security through military-technological means and saw diplomacy as a quixotic or pusillanimous enterprise that dishonored and weakened the country.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spineless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spineless. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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