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
Matt and his direct reports quickly reveal themselves to be spineless, self-important, thin-skinned, and out of touch.
—
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Maybe, when seeing these mass rallies, spineless congressional Republicans might fear for their jobs more from the people than the dictator-in-chief.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
Some great options include small palms, hardy banana, cannas, hibiscus, spineless succulents, bedding flowers, and grasses.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 May 2025
Even some spineless Republicans in Congress—who should be carrying President Trump's flag—are trembling instead of cheering his fight for America's soul.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spineless
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Maybe, when seeing these mass rallies, spineless congressional Republicans might fear for their jobs more from the people than the dictator-in-chief.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
Some great options include small palms, hardy banana, cannas, hibiscus, spineless succulents, bedding flowers, and grasses.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 May 2025
Even some spineless Republicans in Congress—who should be carrying President Trump's flag—are trembling instead of cheering his fight for America's soul.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spineless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spineless
Adjective
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Precious metals and mining stocks were weak across both markets.—
Brendan Ahern,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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In October 2005, a Finnish court acquitted Gustafsson, ruling the evidence against him was too weak and inconsistent.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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And unlike the cowardly ambiguity and doubletalk toward Iran and its nuclear program in the past by Barack Obama, John Kerry, Joe Biden and Antony Blinken, Trump was clear as a bell.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
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Those cowardly films ignore the ideological confusion and moral bankruptcy that precede political and creative failure.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Listen, by doing it this way, with a press release instead of a press conference, Rose looks both gutless and gutty at the same time.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The finish is sleek with a soft sheen, and a subtle silver mountain logo sits just below the stainless steel rim.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 July 2025
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For ultimate comfort, the loveseat and chairs also include 3.9-inch foam cushions wrapped in soft cotton.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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The premise is that America is caught in a bind between a political left that’s too afraid of growth and a political right that hates government investment and involvement.—
Scott Peters,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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The revelation helps explain why the giant snakes — which can grow to 18 feet in Florida — are not afraid to swallow creatures that are nearly equal in size, experts say.—
Mark Price
July 11,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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While health care and food assistance command the most attention, the craven assault on clean energy cannot be minimized.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 July 2025
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The craven hypocrisy of all this no longer registers for the right.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
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
Adjective
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Many people may be intrinsically frightened of robots.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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More than 25,000 onlookers came to see the whale over the next few days, but when a thunderstorm erupted on July 5, the whale became frightened.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spineless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spineless. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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