vertebrate

noun

Definition of vertebratenext
as in animal
biology an animal that has a backbone

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vertebrate Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 June 2026 In bony vertebrates, including mammals, cranial neural crest cells rapidly migrate toward the front of the face. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 During the Early Devonian Period, life on land was still relatively new, and many of the ancestors of modern vertebrates had yet to emerge from the water. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 In the tropics, food webs are less unidirectional—vertebrates that normally eat invertebrates such as insects and arachnids can easily find the tables turned. — Jake Buehler, Scientific American, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for vertebrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebrate
  1. animal
  2. creature
  3. critter
Noun
  • Scientists like Munster are indispensable for figuring out the source of pandemic viruses, whether bats, pigs, rats, or some other animal, Andersen said.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • In addition to the startling experience of touching the remains of an animal that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, contact with the Mastodonsaurus offers an opportunity to reflect on the future, those involved in the project said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • The trio wore shirts that featured the ears of Middle-earth creatures in various skin tones.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Here, in a patch of the city that is 99 percent concrete, a space that leaves no quarter for animals to survive, is evidence that the creatures are thriving, albeit just out of reach.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • Baker and his team placed a bevy of hard corals on the structure, including corals implanted with a more heat-resistant algal symbiote (the tiny critters that live inside the coral animal and provide it shade and food).
    — Alex Harris July 22, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Perhaps most disturbing, however, is that lingering food particles on the lid, rim, or bottom of the bin (because even the strongest trash bags can rip) attract critters like mice and roaches.
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 July 2026
Definition of critter

Browse Nearby Words

vertebral columns
vertebrate
vertebrates
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Cite this Entry

“Vertebrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebrate. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vertebrate

Nglish: Translation of vertebrate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vertebrate

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