vertebrates

noun

plural of vertebrate
as in animals
biology an animal that has a backbone

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Example Sentences

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 vertebrates Although people sometimes use animals informally to mean only vertebrates (animals with backbones) or even just mammals, in biology the term includes insects as well. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Others, including Erin Maxwell, an expert on Early Jurassic marine vertebrates at the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, disagree. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Erin Maxwell, an expert in Early Jurassic marine vertebrates at the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, Germany, lamented the sale as a loss to the UK. — News Desk, Artforum, 11 Aug. 2026 In humans and other vertebrates, aging hearts typically accumulate scar-like collagen deposits called fibrosis. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Because of their smaller body sizes than vertebrates, arthropods are often portrayed as prey of vertebrates. — Jay Kakade july 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026 Insects and the like Most of the species cats ate were vertebrates – mostly birds, followed by mammals and reptiles. — Christopher A. Lepczyk, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 They are thought to be one of the first vertebrates that made a partial transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial lifestyle. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026 Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vertebrates
  1. animals
  2. creatures
  3. critters
  4. quadrupeds
  5. beasties
Noun
  • The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Because the existing hole was too small, crews used a saw to cut a larger opening and lowered a ladder inside to give the animals an easy way out.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of animals
Noun
  • Showing off import sheets related to bats, seahorses and other creatures, Tlusty illustrated how this works.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Contrary to their reputation, bats are not fearsome creatures but unsung ecological heroes.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of creatures
Noun
  • Why Moles Can Be Problematic While moles won’t nibble on your plants like other critters would, their tunneling can upend your plants’ roots.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve gives visitors the opportunity to explore a 3,400-acre wetland ecosystem crawling with native critters like otters, turtles, alligators, and wading birds.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of critters
Noun
  • Unitree is part of a broader wave of Chinese robotics manufacturers that are dominating the industry, not just in humanoid robots but also in quadrupeds, household robots, and industrial machines.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But there will be fewer bodies for those brains to go into, at least in the US, after Washington this week banned new foreign humanoids and quadrupeds.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of quadrupeds
Noun
  • Greg and Denise are having some marital issues, but everybody needs to put other concerns aside to stay alive with nasty raptors and other hungry beasties around.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • And when that happens, astronomers will set about studying these new beasties with other eyes on the sky to learn more about them and hopefully understand them.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
Definition of beasties

Browse Nearby Words

vertebrate
vertebrates
vertex
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Cite this Entry

“Vertebrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vertebrates. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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