VERTEBRAL COLUMN Synonyms: 7 Similar Words

vertebral column

noun

Definition of vertebral column

as in spine

a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal carefully reconstructed the vertebral column of the dinosaur

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 vertebral column When bending to lift from the floor, force is exerted by the lower back muscles and the vertebral column is the pivot point. — Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 30 May 2024 The remains included parts of the lower jaw, vertebral column, and pelvic girdle. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025 The wall displayed a careful repetition and symmetry using pieces of the vertebral column. — Literary Hub, 1 May 2026 The vertebral column comprises individual vertebral bones with spinal discs between each bone. — Jennifer Steinhoff, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025 Shimada’s team used incomplete fossils of the megalodon’s vertebral column and compared them to the bodies of 165 other living and extinct shark species to extrapolate the animal’s size. — Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025 The Chicago fossil possesses the only vertebral column of an Archaeopteryx, which includes two tiny vertebrae at the tip of the tail, showing there were a total of 24 vertebrae, one more than previously thought. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025 The researchers followed up in 2022 with a reconstructed 3D model, extrapolating the dimensions from a megalodon specimen (a vertebral column) in Belgium. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2025 Although many of its bones were unearthed from the Morrison Formation in Colorado in 2021-2022, its skull and parts of its vertebral column were missing, leaving scientists unsure of its precise length. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 June 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebral column

Noun

The true story of the Texas spine surgeon who injured and even killed patients under his care takes center stage in the season 1 adaptation of the popular podcast.

— Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026
Butler testified during the trial that the bullet hit him in the shoulder and missed his spine by centimeters.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of spine

Noun

The drug needed to be infused directly into the spinal column.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2026
Gabapentin has proved effective at helping some mastectomy patients with stubborn pain, while others have responded to electrodes implanted in their spinal column, according to the Baylor study, published in 2024.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026

Definition of spinal column

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vertebrae

vertebral column

vertebral columns

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“Vertebral column.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebral%20column. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of vertebral column

noun

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