lack backbone

læk ˈbækbəʊn

Definition

Definition of lack backbone - Reverso English Dictionary

Verbal expression

personalitybe indecisive or weak-willed

She lacks backbone when making tough decisions.

couragenot have courage or strength

He lacks backbone and avoids confrontations.

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with lack

lack for nothing

have everything needed so no important need remains unmet

With this inheritance, their children will lack for nothing in life.

for lack of

prep.

because something is missing or insufficient

He left for lack of better options.

lack direction

be unsure about what to do next

After graduation, many students lack direction and feel lost.

lack of

state of not having enough of something

The lack of resources affected the project's progress.

lack of sleep

condition of not having slept enough

Lack of sleep affected his performance at work.

lack sparkle

miss brightness or shine in appearance

The diamond lacked sparkle under the dim lights.

Expressions with backbone

backbone of something

most important part of something

The volunteers are the backbone of the organization.

no backbone

lack of courage or strength to stand up for oneself

He has no backbone and never speaks up for himself.

the backbone of the organisation

most important part providing support and stability

The dedicated team is the backbone of the organisation.

the backbone of the organization

most essential part of an organization

The IT department is the backbone of the organization.

form the backbone

be the most important part of something

Small businesses form the backbone of the economy.

grow a backbone

become more courageous or assertive

He needs to grow a backbone and stand up to his boss.

have a backbone

to be brave and strong

She showed she has a backbone by standing up to the bully.

show some backbone

demonstrate courage or determination

She decided to show some backbone and confront her boss about the issue.

solid backbone

strong and reliable support or foundation

The team has a solid backbone of experienced players.

backbone network

central high-capacity network that links and carries traffic for smaller networks

The company upgraded its backbone network to support more video conferencing traffic.

Examples of lack backbone in a sentence

They lack backbone when facing criticism.
She lacks backbone when it comes to making tough decisions.
They lack backbone and always follow the crowd.

View all translations of lack backbone

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:manquer de cran, ...
German:kein Rückgrat haben, keinen Mut haben, ...
Italian:mancare di spina dorsale, essere privo di spina dorsale, ...
Spanish:no tener agallas, carecer de coraje, ...
Portuguese:ser indeciso, faltar coragem, ...
Chinese:缺乏骨气, 缺乏勇气, ...
Japanese:決断力がない, 根性がない, ...
Arabic:اِفْتَقَرَ إِلَى الشَّجَاعَة, كان ضعيف الشخصية, ...
Hebrew:לִהְיוֹת חֲסַר עַמּוּד שִׁדְרָה, לִהְיוֹת חֲסַר אוֹמֶץ, ...
Russian:не хватать решимости, не иметь твердости характера, ...
Ukrainian:не має хребта, не мати сміливості, ...
Hindi:दृढ़ न होना, हिम्मत न होना, ...
Bengali:মেরুদণ্ডহীন হওয়া, সাহস না থাকা, ...
Catalan:no tenir caràcter, no tenir coratge, ...
Czech:být nerozhodný, nemít páteř, ...
Danish:vakle, mangle mod, ...
Dutch:geen ruggengraat hebben, moed missen, ...
Greek:μην έχω πυγμή, δεν έχω το θάρρος, ...
Hungarian:határozatlannak lenni, meghunyászkodni, ...
Khmer:ខ្វះភាពក្លាហាន, ខ្សោយចិត្ត, ...
Korean:결단력이 없다, 용기가 없다, ...
Persian:بی‌اراده بودن, جرئت نداشتن, ...
Polish:nie mieć kręgosłupa, ...
Portuguese (BR):ser indeciso, faltar coragem, ...
Romanian:a fi lipsit de voință, a nu avea curaj, ...
Swedish:saknar ryggrad, sakna ryggrad, ...
Thai:ขาดความเด็ดขาด, ไม่กล้า, ...
Turkish:omurgasız, cesareti olmamak, ...
Vietnamese:thiếu bản lĩnh, thiếu can đảm, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.