spinal cord

noun

Definition of spinal cordnext
as in vertebra

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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 spinal cord The next afternoon, in Central Park, a 15-year-old boy named Shavod Jones shot McDonald three times, severing his spinal cord and paralyzing him from the neck down. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Nerves are effectively long cables running from the spinal cord out to the skin and muscles, and like any cable, they can be pinched. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage outside the brain and spinal cord that disrupts how the brain and body communicate, according to Cleveland Clinic. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 Smart said Dowdell was being treated at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries and rehabilitation. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spinal cord
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spinal cord
  1. vertebra
  2. back
  3. spinal column
  4. vertebral column
Noun
  • Another crash the following season resulted in a fractured vertebra that cost him three more starts.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • She was then hospitalized for 18 days and diagnosed with a burst fracture of her first lumbar vertebra, according to the reports.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of vertebra
Noun
  • The situation at left-back or left wing-back is not much better.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The band will play in six cities during its fall tour, culminating in back-to-back concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of back
Noun
  • In Hrubec’s lab, the malformations took a different form — neural tube defects similar to spina bifida in humans, in which parts of the spinal column fail to close, or anencephaly, where the skull and brain never fully develop.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The pair then set about convincing non-profits that handle organ donation to send them the spinal columns of deceased donors.
    — Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of spinal column
Noun
  • The wall displayed a careful repetition and symmetry using pieces of the vertebral column.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
  • The remains included parts of the lower jaw, vertebral column, and pelvic girdle.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
Definition of vertebral column

Browse Nearby Words

spinal columns
spinal cord
spinal cords
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spinal cord.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spinal%20cord. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on spinal cord

Nglish: Translation of spinal cord for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spinal cord

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