underworld

noun

un·​der·​world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld How to pronounce underworld (audio)
1
: the place of departed souls : hades
2
archaic : earth
3
: the side of the earth opposite to one : antipodes
4
: a social sphere below the level of ordinary life
the town's seedy underworld
especially : the world of organized crime

Examples of underworld in a Sentence

a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people
Recent Examples on the Web
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Described as a figure reminiscent of Robert De Niro's Jimmy the Gent from Goodfellas, the protagonist navigates a turbulent era, battling rival factions to seize control of the Hawaiian underworld. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025 The film premieres March 15 at the Roxy Cinema in New York, and stars Dario Yazbek Bernal and Jack Irv as two lovers whose whirlwind romance sends them down a rabbit hole of drugs and depravity in Manhattan’s underworld. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025 After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, while unraveling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025 Inch-high avatars stand to scale in lush 3D sets of magical forests, hellish underworlds, even high schools. Eric Francisco, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underworld

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underworld was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Underworld.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underworld. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

underworld

noun
un·​der·​world ˈən-dər-ˌwərld How to pronounce underworld (audio)
1
: the place of the souls of the dead
2
: the side of the earth opposite to one
3
: the world of organized crime

More from Merriam-Webster on underworld

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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