underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbe-lē 
1
: a vulnerable area
also
: a corrupt or sordid part
probing the underbelly of the entertainment industry
2
: the underside of a body or mass
Synonyms
Examples of underbelly in a Sentence
They exposed the underbelly of the nation's economic policy.
the sordid underbelly of city life
Recent Examples on the Web
Complex machinations in the underbelly of the Colosseum even allowed it to be filled with water to enact sea battles.
—
Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
Propulsive and kind of terrifying, this is a brilliant examination of the underbelly of journalism and the people on the fringe of society who are willing to cross any moral boundary to find their brief time in the light.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 June 2024
There is space in behind for opposition attackers to exploit and this has given Spurs a soft underbelly.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Dirty Hands kicks-off in the underbelly of Chicago when a routine drug deal goes bad for the Denton brothers, Richie (Muldoon) and Danny (Kevin Interdonato).
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underbelly 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
Propulsive and kind of terrifying, this is a brilliant examination of the underbelly of journalism and the people on the fringe of society who are willing to cross any moral boundary to find their brief time in the light.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 June 2024
There is space in behind for opposition attackers to exploit and this has given Spurs a soft underbelly.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Dirty Hands kicks-off in the underbelly of Chicago when a routine drug deal goes bad for the Denton brothers, Richie (Muldoon) and Danny (Kevin Interdonato).
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underbelly
Dictionary Entries Near underbelly
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underbelly. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbel-ē
: the underpart of a body or mass
the underbelly of a bomber
also
: an area open to attack or damage
the army's underbelly
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share