backbone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The near-standstill of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is redrawing the map for container shipping — the backbone of global trade — and adding to worries about inflation.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

He also said he got China to start immediately buying US agricultural goods and other farm products - a backbone of the American economy.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

The corridor's backbone is the historic Benguela railway, which runs west to east from Lobito to the Congolese border.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Anti-gang units, officials say, form the backbone of the department’s crime fighting efforts in neighborhoods plagued by gang violence.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

It is a knob in the backbone of central Africa.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston