spine

noun

ˈspīn How to pronounce spine (audio)
Definition of spinenext
as in vertebra
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal he hurt his spine in the accident, but the doctor says he'll be walking again in no time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 spine The bullet lodged in the victim's spine, court documents said. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 This will form the spine of the story, and in a way its point. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 In giving form to their resistance to Bicentennial events, the anti-catalog retrospectively contests any national fascia union in aesthetics, even though the role of the state was a spine. — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 But the story went on scaring people for many years afterward, and is probably still sending chills down more than a few spines today. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spine
  1. vertebra
  2. backbone
  3. back
Noun
  • Another piece sliced through his salivary gland before bouncing off his jaw and piercing the back of his neck, severing an artery and embedding in a vertebra.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Tuck your hips under, tilting your pelvis back, and slowly lift your hips toward the ceiling one vertebra at a time.
    — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of vertebra
Noun
  • Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was investigating sudden speed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Network is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations Starshield is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of backbone
Noun
  • Foods checked in the back cooler are not at 41 degrees or below.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Carl leans in, a triangle of packing peanuts on his shirt, one arm behind his back.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of back

Browse Nearby Words

spindrifts
spine
spine-chilling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spine. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on spine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spine

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