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.

Fannie and Freddie buy mortgages from lenders and wrap them into bonds, forming the backbone for the U.S. housing finance system.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

There’s doubt massive tankers, once the backbone of global crude flows, will be returning in quite the same numbers to the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

My supermarket frequently runs 10-for-$10 deals on canned goods, which is essentially my signal to replenish the pantry backbone: black beans, chickpeas, navy beans, diced tomatoes.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

“Public hospitals are the backbone of our healthcare system,” Ahrens said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

But, with luck, the addition of magnesium or possibly calcium ions to the sugar-phosphate backbone would quickly generate an elegant structure, the correctness of which would not be debatable.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson