1
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
a spineless man who let his wife make all the decisions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cowardly
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
spineless seamen who trembled at the first roar of the cannon
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Recent Examples of spineless
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spineless
Adjective
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By late this evening, the winds will be significantly weaker.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Salesforce shares fell in extended trading Wednesday on mixed quarterly results and weak guidance.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Nothing is spared in recounting their odious criminal acts and the cowardly machinations of the church’s leadership to hide them.—
Mary Jo McConahay,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2025
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May God comfort the families of the victims, heal the injured and protect humanity from those who dare to commit such cowardly acts of mass violence.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And the really jaw-dropping part of AMLO’s gutless abdication?—
Tim Padgett,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Aug. 2024
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Their emphasis on key soft skill behaviors makes everybody in the organization much better—even the youngest, least experienced employees.—
Bruce Tulgan,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Others are naked and seemingly unaware of the viewer, cigarettes in hand and gazes soft.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In that moment, McConaughey exemplified a leader who isn’t afraid to embrace vulnerability—a trait that can foster trust and authenticity in any leadership role.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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This person spoke anonymously, afraid of reprisal for talking about the system.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Fresh off a terrifying election cycle that feels like a fever dream (or the most craven Ryan Murphy series), America in 2025 is downright disorienting.—
Christopher Rosa,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2025
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Trump has already turned a national tragedy into a craven, baseless political attack by blaming DEI programs at the FAA and past administrations.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Mark Kelly Americans who are rightfully appalled by the pusillanimous response to anti-Semitism on college campuses have been pulling their donations and calling for restrictions on anti-Israel student groups.—
Arthur Levitt,
WSJ,
12 Nov. 2023
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Those clumsy tales revealed Chazelle’s pusillanimous career ambitions.—
Armond White,
National Review,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Why do so many people love to be frightened and unnerved?—
Jeremy Engle,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
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But can dogs actually be frightened of heights like some humans?—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to spineless
Cite this Entry
“Spineless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spineless. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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