spineless person
Lacks any backbone
A spineless person lacks courage or conviction, bending to pressure rather than standing firm.
The metaphor treats the spine as the body's structural support—without it, one collapses.
Someone spineless won't defend their own opinions, confront wrongdoing, or risk disapproval: He's too spineless to tell his mother no.
The term is always disparaging.
- cowardPerson lacking bravery
- scaredy catOverly timorous person
- pushoverEasily defeated opponent
- doormatEntry rug for wiping
- easy targetVulnerable person or thing
weakling · weak link · jellyfish · wet noodle · wimp · gutless · timid · meek · shrinking violet · submissive · passive · invertebrate · feeble · milquetoast · yellow-bellied · yellow streak · chicken · wuss
- cowardscoward, chicken, wimp, milquetoast, poltroon
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
- Wishy-washy peoplewaffler, waverer, vacillator, ditherer, fence-sitter
spineless personhero
One admired for courage
daredevil · warrior · risk-taker · adventurer · lionheart
spineless personstalwart
Unwavering loyal supporter
man of honor · crusader · true believer · idealist · martyr
spineless, spine, spines, spiny, spinal, person, persons, personal, personally