as in backbones
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal
he hurt his spine in the accident, but the doctor says he'll be walking again in no time
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Recent Examples of spines
The tuatara is a charismatic medium-size reptile with a Muppet-like face and a row of spines running down its back.
—
Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
At a distance many of these plants appear fluffy, with a bushiness that upon closer inspection reveals hundreds, likely thousands, of prickly spines.
—Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025
Many doctors recommend it for adolescents whose spines are still growing, meaning there’s still time to correct the curve.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 4 Dec. 2025
Underneath the 2-inch spines and watery green flesh, the desert towers are held together by an internal framework of wood-like ribs.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Just hearing ‘set piece’ sends a shiver down Liverpool supporters’ spines.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Many dogs are also bred for exaggerated features—such as flat faces or long spines—that cause lifelong pain.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Instead, the authors think the males may have mounted the females , who were lying on their sides, and pressed down on the females’ tails during mating, accidentally breaking the neural spines.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Their characteristic projecting spines serve both as flotation modulators (via a complex process akin to raising and lowering protoplasmic sails) and as masts permitting the cell to extend itself outward into the surrounding water and feed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
At a distance many of these plants appear fluffy, with a bushiness that upon closer inspection reveals hundreds, likely thousands, of prickly spines.
—Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025
Many doctors recommend it for adolescents whose spines are still growing, meaning there’s still time to correct the curve.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 4 Dec. 2025
Underneath the 2-inch spines and watery green flesh, the desert towers are held together by an internal framework of wood-like ribs.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Just hearing ‘set piece’ sends a shiver down Liverpool supporters’ spines.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Many dogs are also bred for exaggerated features—such as flat faces or long spines—that cause lifelong pain.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Instead, the authors think the males may have mounted the females , who were lying on their sides, and pressed down on the females’ tails during mating, accidentally breaking the neural spines.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Their characteristic projecting spines serve both as flotation modulators (via a complex process akin to raising and lowering protoplasmic sails) and as masts permitting the cell to extend itself outward into the surrounding water and feed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spines
Noun
-
Discovered in 1981, the tiny backbones — just a few millimeters long — had not received much attention historically.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Driving trucks is one of the unappreciated backbones of modern civilization.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their images were broadcast widely on Venezuelan television, face down with their arms tied behind their backs.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
For his latest Max Mara collection, Griffiths designed many looks with bare backs demarcated with harness-like arrangements of black elastic straps.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spines. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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