backbone
noun/ˈbækˌboʊn/
Frequency rank: #7,370 most common English word
Meaning
the strength of character to do what is right or necessary; courage and determination.
Example sentence
A good leader needs a strong backbone to make tough decisions under pressure.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 7,301–7,400
- yummyhaving a delicious taste or smell; very tasty.
- adobea type of sun-dried clay brick used as a building material.
- almondA small, oval-shaped nut with a hard shell, often eaten as a snack or used in cooking.
- arabianrelating to Arabia, its people, culture, or language.
- asphalta black, sticky substance mixed with gravel and used to surface roads and pavements.
- beetlea type of insect with a hard shell covering its wings.
- blizzarda severe snowstorm with strong winds and low visibility.
- bookleta small, thin book with a paper cover, usually containing information.
- brawla noisy, rough fight involving several people.
- celestialrelating to the sky or outer space; heavenly.