as in animals
biology
an animal that has a backbone
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Recent Examples of vertebrates
Intriguingly, juvenile tissues in many vertebrates tend to be more regenerative than adult tissues.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 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
The sharks’ resilience to aging could help scientists better understand longevity in vertebrates, including humans.
—Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Rewriting the Story of Ancient Cretaceous Oceans For decades, the narrative of prehistoric oceans has centered on massive vertebrates as the dominant predators.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
For decades, the paleontological consensus was that this was the age of vertebrates; anything without a backbone was lunch.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Many vertebrates also form lifelong bonds.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
According to the Nature study, the Captorhinus fossils help scientists more accurately place this evolutionary milestone in the timeline of terrestrial vertebrates — nearly 290 million years ago.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Likely caused by volcanic eruptions in present-day Siberia, the End-Permian cataclysm eventually wiped out around 57 percent of all biological life, including 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrates.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 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
The sharks’ resilience to aging could help scientists better understand longevity in vertebrates, including humans.
—Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Rewriting the Story of Ancient Cretaceous Oceans For decades, the narrative of prehistoric oceans has centered on massive vertebrates as the dominant predators.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
For decades, the paleontological consensus was that this was the age of vertebrates; anything without a backbone was lunch.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Many vertebrates also form lifelong bonds.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
According to the Nature study, the Captorhinus fossils help scientists more accurately place this evolutionary milestone in the timeline of terrestrial vertebrates — nearly 290 million years ago.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Likely caused by volcanic eruptions in present-day Siberia, the End-Permian cataclysm eventually wiped out around 57 percent of all biological life, including 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrates.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebrates
Noun
-
Visitors can walk 7 miles of trails and see 140 bird species and animals such as manatees, dolphins, alligators, otters, bobcats, sea turtles and gopher tortoises.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
But habitat became inconsequential when the animals ceased to exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Homeownership feels increasingly out of reach for many Americans, but not for this group of creatures, which slithered into an uninhabited home in Arkansas, much to the chagrin of the realtor trying to sell it.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
-
Aliens galore Eternia is home to more creatures than just He-Man and Skeletor.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Wooden piles, Schwartz tells me, used to have a decent lifespan in the harbor because the water was so toxic that even the critters that eat wood couldn’t survive.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
10 June 2026
-
These graveyards form when whale carcasses fall to the sea floor, becoming a sustaining snack for nearby critters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Other applications might include robotics, such as adaptive robotic quadrupeds.—
Shirl Leigh
May 22,
New Atlas,
22 May 2026
-
Interdiction of humans, that is, not quadrupeds.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
My bathtub seems to be a place these cute beasties like to hang out.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
-
Abby’s Magical Beasties, where one of the beasties goes missing, and Abby must problem-solve.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vertebrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebrates. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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