1
: free from spines, thorns, or prickles
2
a
: having no spinal column : invertebrate
b
: lacking strength of character
spinelessly
adverb
spinelessness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of spineless in a Sentence
a spineless man who let his wife make all the decisions
spineless seamen who trembled at the first roar of the cannon
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s also the charming indecision, the earnest desire to weigh all options against each other and seeing every side so that the only logical conclusion is to be mired in a well-meaning state of paralysis — which, in another dialect, translates to spineless lack of resolve and commitment phobia.
—
Goth Shakira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024
The cast has an abundance of exceptional performances from Kevin Kline (outstanding!), Lesley Manville, Sacha Baron Cohen (so good as Catherine’s spineless husband), and Kodi Smith-McPhee as their son.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024
To the grave disappointment of the Iranian people and government, Europe has proved too inept and spineless to mitigate the effect of U.S. withdrawal by honoring its commitments under the JCPOA.
—Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2019
There was a time when the department would have pushed back on such drivel, but with a spineless, left-lib commissioner, that didn’t happen.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spineless 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Goth Shakira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024
The cast has an abundance of exceptional performances from Kevin Kline (outstanding!), Lesley Manville, Sacha Baron Cohen (so good as Catherine’s spineless husband), and Kodi Smith-McPhee as their son.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024
To the grave disappointment of the Iranian people and government, Europe has proved too inept and spineless to mitigate the effect of U.S. withdrawal by honoring its commitments under the JCPOA.
—Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2019
There was a time when the department would have pushed back on such drivel, but with a spineless, left-lib commissioner, that didn’t happen.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spineless
Articles Related to spineless
Dictionary Entries Near spineless
Cite this Entry
“Spineless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spineless. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spineless
adjective
spine·less
ˈspīn-ləs 
1
: having no spines, thorns, or prickles
2
a
: having no backbone : invertebrate
b
: lacking spirit, courage, or determination
spinelessly
adverb
spinelessness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share