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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of underbelly
The same is true on defence, where the third pairing of Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble are putting up incredible underlying numbers in limited minutes against the underbelly of Tampa Bay’s lineup.
—
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The Investigation Discovery series purports to expose the underbelly of pop culture's most infamous moments through in-depth interviews and industry analysis.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
But there is a dark underbelly to that freedom, and this is it.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The Investigation Discovery series purports to expose the underbelly of pop culture's most infamous moments through in-depth interviews and industry analysis.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
But there is a dark underbelly to that freedom, and this is it.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underbelly
Noun
-
The sequel series is based on similar – and familiar – concepts of love, loyalty and betrayal, once again set in the mafia underworld.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
What began as a documentary about the criminal underworld evolved into a fictional – and disturbing – portrait that blurs the line between reality and imagination.—
Roberto Prieto,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Officials said victims should also place any uneaten portions of a mushroom in a paper bag or waxed paper and refrigerate it or take photos of the cap, stem and underside to help medical experts identify the toxin.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
-
The spray button is located on the underside of the iron’s handle and can be used during both dry and steam ironing, provided there is water in the tank.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Just don’t put your wallet in your back pocket and don’t wear a backpack on your back while on the train or metro or in crowds.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
-
Customers can receive books documenting a watch’s history with blank pages in the back where future generations and custodians can write their names to continue the legacy of the treasured object.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The Angels loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 10th but left-hander Hogan Harris got Jorge Soler to ground out, sending the Angels to their 23rd loss in 29 games.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
-
The probability of a win is higher as Burnley are usually closer to the bottom of the league.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Thanks to Hunt's soft spot for benchwarmers, all entries—even the losers—will receive a bag of treats.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Anyone familiar with a roast expects the comedians to go for the jugular, but when someone with actual grooming allegations gets called a pedophile, one questions whether the punchline really was meant to be a joke.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underbelly. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
