as in abyss
a social sphere that exists outside of the mainstream
a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 underworld
Soon after, the weapon used is traced back to Sverre Olsen (Arthur Hakalahti), a young arms dealer operating in a downtown warehouse populated by the city’s underworld and, according to the 70 percent assurance of face recognition expert Beate (Ellen Helinder), a familiar presence within the force.
—
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Kelly spends the first half of his book running through a who’s who of the New England underworld, gangsters and mob wannabes who likely came into contact with the art before the investigation reached Maine and Gentile.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
When the gang comes to the attention of Major Chester Campbell, a DCI in the Royal Irish Constabulary, the wheels are set in motion for adventures through the dangerous underworlds of early 20th-century Britain.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
The Scottish singer-songwriter and activist visited Mexico this week incognito to explore the Mayan underworld, or Xibalbá — a system of caves, rivers, and underground lakes that wind beneath the Yucatan Peninsula.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underworld
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Kelly spends the first half of his book running through a who’s who of the New England underworld, gangsters and mob wannabes who likely came into contact with the art before the investigation reached Maine and Gentile.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
When the gang comes to the attention of Major Chester Campbell, a DCI in the Royal Irish Constabulary, the wheels are set in motion for adventures through the dangerous underworlds of early 20th-century Britain.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
The Scottish singer-songwriter and activist visited Mexico this week incognito to explore the Mayan underworld, or Xibalbá — a system of caves, rivers, and underground lakes that wind beneath the Yucatan Peninsula.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underworld
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underworld
Noun
-
The person who survives the abyss is the one with a dozen people standing at the top holding a rope.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The financial institution's weekly airline industry update offers a peek into the abyss.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Now, in an age of instant communications, their Cold War counterparts could nonetheless disappear into a covert netherworld, loosening Washington’s controls and freeing them to plot coups, mobilize armies, and install governments.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Girand’s journey into this netherworld was sparked by neighborhood chaos and an attempt to understand what was happening.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some countries pump out aircraft carriers to project power across the globe; others build research megastructures to plumb the ocean depths.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Created from a screenplay co-written by Bong with Jason Yu (Sleep), the film revolves around Ally, a curious piglet squid living in the depths of the South Pacific Ocean with dreams of one day seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Often considered the most scathing film ever made about the movie industry, The Day of the Locust is an adaptation of Nathanael West’s celebrated novel about a down-and-out artist turned set painter and the Los Angeles demimonde during the Great Depression.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
-
One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underworld.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underworld. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
