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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underbelly
There are many factors which need to be addressed; including the role of parents and the socio-economic pressures that might prevent them from being present, the under-investment in teaching and the underbelly of Big Tech.
—
Don Riddell, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
The ways various characters see and understand Oz was ALSO explored throughout the panel, with O’Connell addressing whether Francis Cobb was proud of her son and his attempts to climb the ladder in Gotham’s criminal underbelly.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024
Newcastle have a full 25-man Premier League squad, but within that lie an underbelly of players who either ideally should have been moved on sooner, or are just not of the quality required.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Small Victory was also an EP on that drama in which Reinhart plays Daisy Moriarty, who is dealing with a chaotic personal life, and becomes drawn into the underbelly of the internet.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Don Riddell, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
The ways various characters see and understand Oz was ALSO explored throughout the panel, with O’Connell addressing whether Francis Cobb was proud of her son and his attempts to climb the ladder in Gotham’s criminal underbelly.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024
Newcastle have a full 25-man Premier League squad, but within that lie an underbelly of players who either ideally should have been moved on sooner, or are just not of the quality required.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Small Victory was also an EP on that drama in which Reinhart plays Daisy Moriarty, who is dealing with a chaotic personal life, and becomes drawn into the underbelly of the internet.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
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Host Ari Daniel speaks with Smithsonian contributing writer Tony Perrottet, who wrote recently about Rome’s underworld—the city lurking beneath the city.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 May 2025
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Jason—her partner—comes off as more laid-back but equally entrenched in the criminal underworld.—
Tahar Rajab,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Collar stays are small, narrow inserts that tuck into the small pockets on the underside of button-up shirt collars.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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On the underside of the laptop, the dual batteries are designed for hot-swapping, while the M.2-format storage drive can also be swapped without tools.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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My mattress feels like new as the panels holding it up keep the bed firm to support my back.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 May 2025
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Perhaps anticipating the collision, video footage showed the goat leaping into the air and brushing Smith’s leg and back wheel.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
Noun
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On Thursday night, Purdue Fort Wayne’s sophomore third baseman hit four home runs, including a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to cap an 11-run rally in the Mastodons’ 21-17 win over Wright State.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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And an outright bad host (see the bottom) can make the 90-minute show seem interminable and out of touch.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Plus, Rachael has a soft spot for missing children.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2025
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Independent study charter schools are a soft spot in California’s vaccine laws, data show — Was this newsletter forwarded to you?—
Phil Willon,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Zachary Naegele, 24, was competing at the Conley Invitational in Palmetto, Florida, last week when the bull’s horn punctured his jugular, causing blood to stream out in a heart-pounding, caught-on-camera moment.—
Michael Dorgan,
Fox News,
15 Feb. 2025
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Gone are the days of Ami Cusack cutting down men without hesitation or Natalie Bolton flossing her teeth with Jason Siska’s jugular.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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