backbone

noun

ˈbak-ˈbōn How to pronounce backbone (audio)
Definition of backbonenext
1
as in spine
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal found the backbone of a fish lying on the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship it takes backbone to stand up to the kind of suffering that some cancer patients must endure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 backbone The Hall of Fame musician was the backbone of Blondie’s smash hits and kinetic live performances. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026 The opening of the new facility comes as Merck prepares for the upcoming loss of exclusivity of Keytruda, which is one of the world's top-selling drugs and is widely viewed as the backbone of modern cancer treatment. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026 With a backbone laid out, the process next moved to ProteinMPNN, a tool that works along the backbone, populating it with specific amino acids. — ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 Striking Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest crude oil producer, threatens the backbone of the kingdom’s economy and a critical source of global energy supplies. — Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backbone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backbone
  1. spine
  2. courage
  3. fortitude
  4. fiber
  5. stamina
  6. grit
  7. guts
  8. bravery
Noun
  • Mattai’s wife, Sally Mattai, told the Times her husband almost died after suffering a severe gunshot wound to his lower back that damaged his spine and required two separate emergency surgeries.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The back-to-back successes of Obsession and Backrooms have cracked Hollywood’s spine like a One-Wish Willow, sending producers into an online feeding frenzy.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of spine
Noun
  • The future will not be shaped only by the power of our technology or our weapons, but by the quality of our conversations—and the courage of the choices that follow.
    — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But, beyond the wall-to-wall coverage and sensational headlines, is a story about the incredible courage, devotion, and strength that Natalee’s mother, Beth, showed in the face of unimaginable loss.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of courage
Noun
  • But more importantly — and what comes with age — is having the fortitude not to follow them.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • That mental fortitude stood out to Green during a minor-league game in which Voit started 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortitude
Noun
  • The American Diabetes Association currently recommends limiting fruit juice to 4-ounce (1/2-cup) servings and choosing whole fruits, which are high in fiber.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2026
  • There’s only so much that wireless can do where a fiber network is ultimately your best connection.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiber
Noun
  • Under that gorgeous screen, the watch is packed with 32GB of storage, tons of sports modes to track your activities, and a myriad of other metrics, including overall stamina, sleep, VO2 max, recovery insights, and even wrist power.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ambitious mukbang-ers eager to prove their gastronomic stamina descended on Red Lobster locations across the country to consume absurd quantities of shrimp.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stamina
Noun
  • And the protesters’ grit, wit, inventiveness, and fearlessness have dented Modi’s authority like nothing else has in the past 12 years.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Marcus, however, showed a lot of grit and guts for a lad who was not expected to triumph.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • Marcus, however, showed a lot of grit and guts for a lad who was not expected to triumph.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Two crazy ass years have gone by (fast af) and my travels have left me, at 28, with a little more wisdom, more guts and ALOT more shoes!
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of guts
Noun
  • The King kids were quiet and poised, letting the camera inspect their faces, putting on a show of mild bravery for the nice reporter and all the people out there watching at home.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Biden administration, in an act of incredible bravery, doubled the sanctions on the way out, in January of 2025.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of bravery

Browse Nearby Words

backbiting
backbone
backboned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backbone. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on backbone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about backbone

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All