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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underbelly
Love planet Venus starts retrograding in your enigmatic eighth house on March 1, prompting a review of the hidden underbelly of all your closest bonds.
—
Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 24 Feb. 2025
Not all barn owls have white underbellies, however; some have reddish-brown plumage instead.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Roger Ebert famously panned it, though other critics hailed it as a brave and unsparing look at the underbelly of small-town ordinariness.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025
It’s been restored from the original camera negative, making the story of Travis Bickle’s journey through the underbelly of New York City grittier and more tactile than ever before.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 24 Feb. 2025
Not all barn owls have white underbellies, however; some have reddish-brown plumage instead.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Roger Ebert famously panned it, though other critics hailed it as a brave and unsparing look at the underbelly of small-town ordinariness.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025
It’s been restored from the original camera negative, making the story of Travis Bickle’s journey through the underbelly of New York City grittier and more tactile than ever before.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
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Levon must pose as a drug dealer and infiltrate himself into this Chicago underworld populated by numerous stereotypical Russian Mafia types led by crime lord Wolo Kolisnyk (Jason Flemyng), and featuring his loose cannon son Dimi (Maximilian Osinski).—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2025
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The problem’s in the criminal underworld for people who are not recognised as being from a specific community.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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These nails would have studded the underside of leather Roman military shoes, the museum said.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
-
My go-tos are these cute little stars that have a hydrocolloid formula on the underside that helps heal pimples quickly.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Athletic reported in July that there was a feeling among coaching staff that there could be less reliability at the back this campaign, with the expectation of conceding 10 to 15 more goals but the hope, with Mbappe, of increasing the goalscoring significantly.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
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The etchings reflect the 13-month lunar calendars the tribes used, with a different design on each of the 13 scales on a snapping turtle’s back.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Said gravity-compensation device spins upon two axes: While an inner cage rotates through 360 degrees every 16 seconds, an outer cage spins in the opposite direction once every 60 seconds, forming a small seconds indicator at the bottom of the dial.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
1 Apr. 2025
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For phytoplankton, the organisms sink to the bottom of the ocean during dormancy, and they are eventually covered by sediment over time and preserved by the lack of oxygen.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Trump is seen as having a soft spot for the U.K. and visibly enjoyed a previous state visit to the country.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2025
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Philipps began working as a hostess at California Pizza Kitchen in Arizona in high school − around 16 or 17 − and has had a soft spot for the chain ever since her younger years growing up in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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