underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbe-lē 
1
: a vulnerable area
also
: a corrupt or sordid part
probing the underbelly of the entertainment industry
2
: the underside of a body or mass
Examples of underbelly in a Sentence
They exposed the underbelly of the nation's economic policy.
the sordid underbelly of city life
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s a soft underbelly that keeps getting exposed away from the home comforts of Anfield.
—
James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Or rather, the softer parts of its underbelly.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
High-concept sci-fi comedy with a dark underbelly?
—PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025
As Ron gets deeper and deeper into the underbelly of Ohio crime, his world starts to expand; Smith wanted to reflect that not only in his clothes, but in those of the people around him.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
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James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Or rather, the softer parts of its underbelly.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
High-concept sci-fi comedy with a dark underbelly?
—PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025
As Ron gets deeper and deeper into the underbelly of Ohio crime, his world starts to expand; Smith wanted to reflect that not only in his clothes, but in those of the people around him.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underbelly
Cite this Entry
“Underbelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underbelly. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underbelly
noun
un·der·bel·ly
ˈən-dər-ˌbel-ē
: the underpart of a body or mass
the underbelly of a bomber
also
: an area open to attack or damage
the army's underbelly
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