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backbone - 20 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | backbone |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strength of character |
| Synonyms: | courage, determination, firmness, fortitude, grit, guts, hardihood, heart, intestinal fortitude*, mettle, moral fiber, nerve, pluck, resolution, resolve, spunk, stamina, tenacity, will, willpower, steadfastness, toughness |
| Antonyms: | weakness, ineptness, powerlessness, spinelessness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | backbone |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | spinal column of vertebrate |
| Synonyms: | base, basis, foundation, spine, support, vertebrae, vertebral column |
| Main Entry: | chutzpah |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | fearlessness |
| Synonyms: | arrogance, audacity, backbone*, boldness, brass, gall, nerve, spine*, balls |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | courage |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | boldness, braveness |
| Synonyms: | élan, audacity, backbone, bravery, daring, dash, determination, endurance, enterprise, firmness, fortitude, gallantry, grit, guts, hardihood, heroism, mettle, nerve, pluck, power, prowess, rashness, recklessness, resolution, spirit, spunk, temerity, tenacity, valor, adventuresomeness, adventurousness, bravura, dauntlessness, fearlessness, gameness, intrepidity, lion-heartedness, pugnacity, stoutheartedness, venturesomeness |
| Antonyms: | cowardice, fear, meekness, timidity, weakness, faint-heartedness |
| Main Entry: | durability |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | sturdiness over time |
| Synonyms: | backbone, constancy, endurance, grit, guts*, heart*, intestinal fortitude, moxie*, permanence, persistence, stamina, starch*, staying power*, durableness, gutsiness, hard as nails, imperishability, lastingness, stick-to-itiveness |
| Antonyms: | poorness, weakness, impermanency, unreliability |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | fortitude |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strength of mind; guts |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, boldness, bravery, constancy, courage, determination, endurance, firmness, grit*, hardihood, heart, mettle, moxie, nerve, patience, perseverance, pith, pluck, resolution, spine*, spirit, spunk, stamina, starch, staying power, stomach, tenacity, valor, braveness, courageousness, dauntlessness, fearlessness, gutsiness, intrepidity, resoluteness, stick-to-itiveness, stoutheartedness, true grit, valiancy, valorousness, what it takes |
| Antonyms: | cowardice, helplessness, weakness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | guts |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | nerve, boldness |
| Synonyms: | audacity, backbone*, courage, daring, effrontery, fortitude, grit*, hardihood, heart*, intestinal fortitude*, mettle, moxie*, pluck, resolution, spine*, spirit, spunk*, willpower, dauntlessness, forcefulness, sand* |
| Antonyms: | cowardice, fear, timidity |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | mainstay |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | chief support |
| Synonyms: | anchor, backbone, brace, bulwark, buttress, pillar, prop, sinew, staff, standby, stay, strength, supporter, crutch, good right arm, linchpin, maintainer, right-hand person, sustainer, upholder |
| Main Entry: | mettle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | boldness, strength of character |
| Synonyms: | animation, ardor, backbone, bravery, caliber, courage, daring, disposition, energy, fire, force, fortitude, gallantry, grit*, guts*, hardihood, heart*, life*, makeup, moxie, nature, nerve, pluck, quality, resolution, resolve, spirit, spunk, stamina, stamp*, starch, temper, temperament, valor, vigor, vitality, dauntlessness, gameness, indomitability, kidney |
| Notes: | meddle means to intrude or interfere in other people's affairs or business; mettle is the courage and fortitude to carry on; a medal is a piece of metal in the form of a coin intended to be used as an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event |
| Antonyms: | weakness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | moxie |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | courage |
| Synonyms: | audacity, backbone, boldness, bravery, daring, dash, determination, fortitude, grit, guts, hardihood, mettle, nerve, pluck, prowess, spirit, spunk, stamina, tenacity, valor, adventuresomeness, adventurousness, braveness, dauntlessness, fearlessness, gameness, toughness |
| Main Entry: | nerve |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | daring, boldness |
| Synonyms: | assumption, assurance, audacity, backbone, brass*, bravery, cheek*, chutzpah*, confidence, coolness, courage, crust*, determination, effrontery, endurance, energy, face*, firmness, force, fortitude, gall*, grit*, guts*, hardihood, heart*, impertinence, impudence, insolence, intestinal fortitude, mettle, might, moxie*, pluck*, presumption, resolution, sauce*, spirit, spunk*, starch*, stomach*, temerity, vigor, will, brazenness, fearlessness, gameness, hardiness, intrepidity, steadfastness |
| Antonyms: | fear, modesty, shyness, timidity |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | patience |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | capacity, willingness to endure |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, bearing, calmness, composure, constancy, cool*, diligence, endurance, equanimity, forbearance, fortitude, grit*, guts*, heart, humility, intestinal fortitude*, leniency, long-suffering, moderation, moxie*, passiveness, perseverance, persistence, poise, resignation, restraint, self-control, serenity, starch*, staying power*, stoicism, submission, tolerance, yielding, even temper, gutsiness, imperturbability, legs, longanimity, nonresistance, passivity, sufferance, toleration |
| Antonyms: | agitation, frustration, impatience, intolerance |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | perseverance |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | diligence, hard work |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, constancy, continuance, cool, dedication, determination, doggedness, drive, endurance, grit*, guts*, moxie*, persistence, pluck*, resolution, spunk, stamina, tenacity, immovability, indefatigability, pertinacity, prolonging, purposefulness, pursuance, sedulity, steadfastness, stick-to-itiveness |
| Antonyms: | apathy, idleness, indolence, laziness, lethargy |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | pluck |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person's resolution, courage |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, boldness, bravery, determination, grit, guts*, hardihood, heart*, intestinal fortitude*, mettle, moxie*, nerve, resolution, spirit, spunk, dauntlessness, intrepidity |
| Antonyms: | cowardice, dispiritedness, irresolution |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | ridge |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | raised part of solid |
| Synonyms: | backbone, corrugation, crease, crinkle, elevation, fold, furrow, hill, parapet, pole, range, rib, rim, seam, spine, wrinkle, chine, esker, hogback, moraine, plica, rimple, rivel, ruck, upland |
| Antonyms: | flat, plain |
| Main Entry: | spunk |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | courage, nerve |
| Synonyms: | backbone, determination, doggedness, fortitude, grit*, gumption*, guts*, intestinal fortitude*, mettle, moxie*, pluck, resolution, spirit, gameness, toughness, true grit |
| Antonyms: | cowardice |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | stability |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | resistance of some degree |
| Synonyms: | adherence, aplomb, assurance, backbone, balance, cohesion, constancy, determination, durability, endurance, establishment, firmness, maturity, permanence, perseverance, security, soundness, strength, support, dependability, immobility, immovability, resoluteness, solidity, solidness, stableness, steadfastness, steadiness, substantiality, toughness |
| Antonyms: | insecurity, instability, wavering, unsteadiness, variability |
| Main Entry: | stamina |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strength, vigor |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, endurance, energy, force, fortitude, grit*, guts*, heart, intestinal fortitude*, moxie*, power, resilience, resistance, starch*, staying power, tolerance, vim, vitality, zip*, gutsiness, indefatigability, legs, lustiness, power of endurance, toleration |
| Antonyms: | apathy, lack, laziness, lethargy, weakness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | staying power |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stamina |
| Synonyms: | backbone*, endurance, fortitude, grit*, guts*, heart, intestinal fortitude*, resilience, tolerance, vitality, gutsiness, legs, power of endurance |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | tenacity |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | diligence, stubbornness |
| Synonyms: | application, backbone, chutzpah*, clock*, courage, determination, doggedness, firmness, grit, guts*, heart*, intestinal fortitude*, moxie*, nerve, obstinacy, perseverance, persistence, resolution, resolve, spunk, starch*, stomach*, gutsiness, guttiness, inflexibility, intransigence, obduracy, pertinacity, resoluteness, staunchness, steadfastness, stick-to-itiveness, strength of purpose, true grit, what it takes, willfulness |
| Antonyms: | indifference, weakness, irresolution, slackness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

