Synonyms for

Bone

Verb / bəʊn / Another word for bone — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

A hard, whitish substance that makes up the skeleton of a vertebrate animal.

Synonyms & similar words

mugup grindaway getup osseoustissue swot os drum debone offwhite swotup ivory pearl cram boneup skeleton framework structure spine vertebra calcium marrow fossil remains carcass cadaver corpse remnant relic vestige trace mark impression shadow

Synonyms by register

Formal

osseous structure skeletal element

Informal

knuckle shin

Literary

ivory ossature

Antonyms

flesh muscle tissue fat skin cartilage

Common collocations

  • break a bone
  • bone marrow
  • bone density
  • bone china
  • bone structure
  • bone up on
  • bone to pick
  • funny bone

Word family

noun bone
verb bone
adjective bony

Usage note

The verb 'to bone' can be used informally to mean 'to study thoroughly' (e.g., 'bone up on your history') or, more vulgarly, to mean 'to have sexual intercourse'. Be mindful of the context.

Example sentences

  1. I found a bone on my walk in the woods.
  2. My dog loves to chew on bones.
  3. The doctor said I broke a bone in my arm.
  4. The skeleton has over 200 bones.
  5. The archaeologist discovered ancient dinosaur bones.

Quotes

  • A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog. - Jack London
  • I am convinced that bone problems are directly related to mineral and vitamin deficiencies in our food. - Sally Fallon
  • The bones of the mind, those subtle, deep-seated, underlying assumptions upon which all our ideas rest, are the last to go when the mind goes. - Diana Gabaldon

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