spineless

[spahyn-lis]

adjective

1. having no spines or quills.

2. having no spine or backbone.

3. having a weak spine; limp.

4. without moral force, resolution, or courage; feeble.

   a spineless, lily-livered coward.

   Synonyms: indecisive, irresolute, weak
   Antonyms: resolute, strong

spineless

/ ˈspaɪnlɪs /

adjective

1. lacking a backbone; invertebrate

2. having no spiny processes

   spineless stems

3. lacking strength of character, resolution, or courage

Other Word Forms

• spinelessly adverb
• spinelessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spineless¹

First recorded in 1820–30; spine + -less

Example Sentences

"God help us! She is spineless, shameless and completely aimless," Badenoch told MPs.

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I would argue it’s still with us today, and still urgent: Consider the spineless vacillation of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer over whether to stand behind their own party’s mayoral nominee in their own city.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson has made the spineless, limp justification of these behaviors an art form.

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She added: "Government has dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing Taliban minister to exclude women journalists from presser. Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites."

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"They make money from us and still dare to discriminate against Chinese people. We would be spineless if we don't boycott it out of China," another Weibo user said.

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