as in animals
biology
an animal that has a backbone
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Recent Examples of vertebrates
The playful creatures are prey to foxes, jaguars, and even at times humans, but tend to eat insects, plants, roots and smaller vertebrates, the zoo said.
—
Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Eel evolution The study also provides insights into evolution, suggesting that early vertebrates might not have needed to develop entirely new neural circuits to move on land.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
The only terrestrial vertebrates that both lived near and are believed to have survived the Chicxulub Impact are night lizards.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
First, there were vertebrates like us, but also birds and other mammals.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
The blood-testing organs don’t measure water levels but rather the concentration of salt, whose healthy range lies at almost exactly the same concentration as that of the brackish intertidal water in which vertebrates first evolved (which is about one-third as salty as seawater).
—Dan Samorodnitsky, Quanta Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025
An independent review of the evidence for sentience in animals such as octopuses, crabs and lobsters, led by Birch, contributed to these species being granted greater protection alongside all vertebrates in 2022 under the UK Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act.
—Mariana Lenharo & Nature Magazine, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025
Most early jawless fishes had torsos leading continuously to the head, whereas jawed vertebrates evolved a neck and throat.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025
However, our brains and those of other vertebrates are complex, three-dimensional structures, and so embedding any electrodes into their interiors would inflict at least some damage during implantation.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2025
Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Eel evolution The study also provides insights into evolution, suggesting that early vertebrates might not have needed to develop entirely new neural circuits to move on land.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
The only terrestrial vertebrates that both lived near and are believed to have survived the Chicxulub Impact are night lizards.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
First, there were vertebrates like us, but also birds and other mammals.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
The blood-testing organs don’t measure water levels but rather the concentration of salt, whose healthy range lies at almost exactly the same concentration as that of the brackish intertidal water in which vertebrates first evolved (which is about one-third as salty as seawater).
—Dan Samorodnitsky, Quanta Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025
An independent review of the evidence for sentience in animals such as octopuses, crabs and lobsters, led by Birch, contributed to these species being granted greater protection alongside all vertebrates in 2022 under the UK Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act.
—Mariana Lenharo & Nature Magazine, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025
Most early jawless fishes had torsos leading continuously to the head, whereas jawed vertebrates evolved a neck and throat.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025
However, our brains and those of other vertebrates are complex, three-dimensional structures, and so embedding any electrodes into their interiors would inflict at least some damage during implantation.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebrates
Noun
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As the sun has grown subtly brighter over this span, if this supercontinent struggled with high carbon dioxide levels like its Pangaean forebear did, then this would be an inimically hot world to animals, except for lone refuges fringing its polar far reaches.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Living Room on the hotel’s second floor features two bars, one on either end of the room, backed by gold, black, and white art deco scenes that depict famous New York City buildings and animals like a panther, a leopard, and a horse.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the end, the Viking landers found no creatures, and biological experiments proved inconclusive.—
David W. Brown,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
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The creatures prefer large, dense areas in the woods and wetlands.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The newest convolution is Italian Brainrot anime themes, popularized by creators like Smirzky, which turn the gibberish critters into cast members of a fictional TV show.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
10 Sep. 2025
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Plus, critters may sneak in and can stain, damage, or create holes in fabric.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Developed by companies like Boston Dynamics, these quadrupeds are a viable solution for targeting mosquito habitats in harder-to-reach areas.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Aug. 2025
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Unlike most quadrupeds, CARA doesn’t use any gears or pulleys.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vertebrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebrates. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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