backbone

Sunday's exchange started when Musk posted that Starlink was the "backbone of the Ukrainian army".

Then came Ukraine, and suddenly, Starlink wasn’t just a fancy satellite system — it was the backbone of battlefield communication.

"Wicked"'s music, the backbone of the musical, has also been recognized by the Academy but only in the score category, due to its lack of original music, which deems it ineligible for consideration.

Marshall had been the backbone of that breakthrough, the sturdy foundation on which it had been built.

She says the professional services staff who are facing cuts this year make up the "backbone" of the university.