vertebrates

noun

plural of vertebrate
as in animals
biology an animal that has a backbone

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 vertebrates Because of their smaller body sizes than vertebrates, arthropods are often portrayed as prey of vertebrates. — Jay Kakade july 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026 Insects and the like Most of the species cats ate were vertebrates – mostly birds, followed by mammals and reptiles. — Christopher A. Lepczyk, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 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 If researchers want to understand what the earliest jawed vertebrates may have looked like developmentally? — 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 his lab, which studies the exchange of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide between vertebrates and their environments, Damsgaard’s team used microsensors to measure oxygen levels in the retinas of zebra finches, pigeons, and chickens. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebrates
  1. animals
  2. creatures
  3. critters
  4. quadrupeds
  5. beasties
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
  • Spanning five acres of land, this remote residence has plenty of room for everyone (humans and animals) to stretch their legs after a long drive.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of animals
Noun
  • Quixotic aerialists twisted, turned and unfolded above the crowd, using flowing fabric and butterfly-inspired movements to mirror the creatures being celebrated.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • With its spectacular imagery of bioluminescent creatures, not to mention a giant squid measuring somewhere between 2-4 storeys tall, this is a film that demands to be seen on the big screen.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of creatures
Noun
  • Public health experts recommend thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables or simply cooking them, which kills the tiny critters.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 30 July 2026
  • More than four decades and a career pivot later, much of his cash flow is still reserved for the critters.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Definition of critters
Noun
  • But there will be fewer bodies for those brains to go into, at least in the US, after Washington this week banned new foreign humanoids and quadrupeds.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 31 July 2026
  • The ban follows a determination by the administration that allowing the robots — along with doglike quadrupeds or machines on wheels — into the country presents a national security risk.
    — Ian Duncan, Washington Post, 28 July 2026
Definition of quadrupeds
Noun
  • And when that happens, astronomers will set about studying these new beasties with other eyes on the sky to learn more about them and hopefully understand them.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • There be beasties beyond US Route 93, bigger than my vision could handle.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Definition of beasties

Browse Nearby Words

vertebrate
vertebrates
vertex
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vertebrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebrates. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on vertebrates

Nglish: Translation of vertebrates for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All