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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underbelly
But there is a dark underbelly to that freedom, and this is it.
—
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Viewers may find their allegiances shifting as the series progresses and one half of the couple bares their teeth while the other is showing their soft white underbelly.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
Cashmere is expensive because these goats produce a limited amount of this precious fiber, found on their underbellies, and the process of obtaining the wool is labor-intensive.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Our core tension is a cute game with a dark underbelly.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Viewers may find their allegiances shifting as the series progresses and one half of the couple bares their teeth while the other is showing their soft white underbelly.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
Cashmere is expensive because these goats produce a limited amount of this precious fiber, found on their underbellies, and the process of obtaining the wool is labor-intensive.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Our core tension is a cute game with a dark underbelly.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
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Most prior visits had morphed into extended trips into a terrifying medical underworld — to a purgatory known as emergency department boarding.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Major gallerists and curators eventually became curious about this irrepressibly cool little underworld.—
Paula Aceves,
Curbed,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As VideoCardz reports, this reduces material usage, making the boards cheaper to produce, and also has the nice-to-have benefit of making the underside of the motherboards far less sharp, hopefully leading to fewer nicked fingers.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
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At ground level, the building feels almost improbably large, much of its underside shaded.—
Ariana Marsh,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Our expert take The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
-
One grabbed an arm and held it behind his back, another raised the man’s other arm above his head, while a third restrained his ankles, according to the video.—
Darrell Smith
May 1,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Be sure to use the slider at the bottom of the page if their answers don’t fit the screen on your device.—
Mark Dee
April 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Take the time to scan from top to bottom, and don’t be afraid to gently move items aside.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rob Lowe has a soft spot for shelter dogs.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Players who serve as captains, leaders or prove their ball-loving background by playing through injuries have long owned a soft spot in the Bengals’ drafting heart.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Wolf packs on the hunt encircled their prey—typically elk—clamping at the jugular when their target grew weary from the chase.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The change added a room where prisoners are to be examined and prepped for either a standard peripheral IV, or a central line — a more invasive procedure that inserts into the internal jugular in the neck, a femoral vein in the upper thigh or a subclavian vein in the chest.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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