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 They are thought to be one of the first vertebrates that made a partial transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial lifestyle. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026 Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 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
  • The heat has also caused mass losses of livestock since late May, with more than 493,000 animals having died, including pigs, poultry, and fish, according to South Korean authorities.
    — Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • For the most part, that excludes animal fibers like leather and virgin cashmere.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • In a first-of-its-kind comprehensive review published in the journal Primates, anthropologists at the University of Oxford explored various instances of monkeys and apes carrying, grooming, playing, and sometimes actually adopting other creatures.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
  • Like any living creature, Etna can only speculate about the other shapes that his life might have taken.
    — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • As Roku’s city council scours the internet to see what the next viral critter might be, observers are already worried that Jimothy’s time is limited.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, use a Bug Blaster hose end sprayer to blast the upper and undersides of the leaves with water and blow the critters away.
    — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 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 6 Aug. 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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