1
as in underworld
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream
unable to get work in mainstream films, the actor ended up in Hollywood's underbelly—the porn industry
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2
as in underside
the side or part facing downward from something
the underbelly of the old submarine is in bad shape
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3
as in back
a vulnerable point
the vast, thinly guarded southern border was obviously the underbelly of the nation's line of defense
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Examples of underbelly in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
An 18-year-old who has just been released from a juvenile detention center meets an alluring older man who teaches him how to survive in the underbelly of São Paulo.
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Pat Saperstein, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
But for all the absorbing spectacle, the race also had dark secret, an underbelly of corruption owing to a raft of doping violations that would emerge over time.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 26 Sep. 2024
Determined to protect his loved ones, Jake and his new K-9 partner Argos delve into a violent underbelly of crime where Jake confronts corrupt officials, uncovers a perilous drug trafficking ring and battles his own inner demons.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 May 2024
Thus begins James’ journey through the underbelly of Vancouver to retrieve his ride and prevent himself from falling back into a downward spiral.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See all Example Sentences for underbelly 
Pat Saperstein, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
But for all the absorbing spectacle, the race also had dark secret, an underbelly of corruption owing to a raft of doping violations that would emerge over time.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 26 Sep. 2024
Determined to protect his loved ones, Jake and his new K-9 partner Argos delve into a violent underbelly of crime where Jake confronts corrupt officials, uncovers a perilous drug trafficking ring and battles his own inner demons.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 May 2024
Thus begins James’ journey through the underbelly of Vancouver to retrieve his ride and prevent himself from falling back into a downward spiral.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See all Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
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As the title indicates, the story centers around Hit-Monkey (Fred Tatasciore), a snow monkey intent on taking out the Tokyo underworld with the help of his mentor, Bryce Fowler (Jason Sudeikis).Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
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That leads them into a vast, interconnected conspiracy linking the murky London underworld to a looming geopolitical crisis.Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Plates installed on the ground at locations like bus stops or depots connect wirelessly to charge matching plates installed on the underside of electric buses.Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
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While this is great and all, Apple still hasn’t changed the location of the charging port on the Magic Mouse, leaving it on the underside of the device.Emma Roth, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Good rattling/grunting setup: Wind in your face and rock bluff or stream at your back.Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
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The missing back page was discovered early Tuesday morning when the packs of sealed ballots were opened for the first time at the polling places, St. Clair County Probate Judge Andrew Weathington told AP.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The Galaxy and Revolution were both at the bottom of the league table when Arena took over.Harold Gutmann, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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An American World War II warship that played a key role in Allied campaigns in the Pacific has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean more than 80 years after it was sunk.Patrick Smith, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Bernal Cutlery, San Francisco Vintage cooking tools murmur with history and allure, and Bernal Cutlery has a soft spot for the antique.Scott Hocker, theweek, 1 Nov. 2024
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Garcia Swisher played Sam, a tough girl also introduced in season 3 who had a soft spot for romance and would go on to date Gary later in the series.Angela Andaloro, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Almost straight from the restart, France pressured Argentina into a hurried clearance, and from there France went straight for the jugular.Jonathan Clegg, WSJ, 18 Dec. 2022
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Monica goes for the jugular, among other vulnerable body parts.Charles McNultyTheater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2022
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Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
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