as in plump
having a large protruding abdomen
an old, potbellied cat that now needs a ramp just to get on the sofa
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of potbellied
Perun summoned a potbellied officer from the T.D.F. brigade to the operations center.
—
Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
What could be more luxurious than checking in without having to wade through a maze of slot machines and a cloud of cigarette smoke, dodging potbellied dudes in tank tops?
—Jay McInerney, Town & Country, 18 June 2023
The Delaware Department of Agriculture is encouraging people who own potbellied pigs as pets to spay or neuter them to prevent unintended litters.
—Joseph De Avila, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2022
Outside this church upon a mosque upon a church, a potbellied Arab sat on the steps, conspicuously reciting his Quran.
—Aatish Taseer Richard Mosse, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for potbellied
Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
What could be more luxurious than checking in without having to wade through a maze of slot machines and a cloud of cigarette smoke, dodging potbellied dudes in tank tops?
—Jay McInerney, Town & Country, 18 June 2023
The Delaware Department of Agriculture is encouraging people who own potbellied pigs as pets to spay or neuter them to prevent unintended litters.
—Joseph De Avila, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2022
Outside this church upon a mosque upon a church, a potbellied Arab sat on the steps, conspicuously reciting his Quran.
—Aatish Taseer Richard Mosse, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for potbellied
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potbellied
Adjective
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Packed with multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, this milky lotion promises plump, glassy skin.—
Anita Bhagwandas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
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Niacinamide helps brighten and even things out, while hyaluronic acid floods skin with hydration for a plump, fresh look.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In Arthur Penn’s 1975 neo-noir Night Moves, Griffith is Delly Grastner, a 16-year-old runaway with a little girl’s voice and a grown woman’s body—on full display in an underwater nude scene—intent on seducing Gene Hackman, 43 and paunchy.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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There isn’t much room in this palette for public pools or paunchy, suburban retirees.—
Sean Williams,
Outside,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The authors argued that the typical American diet contained excessive calories and fat and lacked sufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
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To celebrate and raise funds and awareness, Katmai hosts Fat Bear Week, an annual tournament every fall where nature enthusiasts can vote online for Katmai’s fattest bear.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Potbellied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potbellied. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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