as in to close
to come near or nearer
belly up to the buffet table and help yourselves
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Recent Examples of belly up
For the best seat in the house, request the chef's table that bellies up to the kitchen.
—
Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Go in a smallish group, belly up to the bar to put your name in, then order a strong drink if there's a wait.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
Wilding eventually rebranded a taproom in the River North Art District with the Great Divide name, so Denverites can still belly up without traveling to the suburbs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Wu compared the current state of the industry to the internet era before the dot-com bubble, when a host of firms went belly up but the technology reoriented the economy and established corporate giants.
—ABC News, 22 Nov. 2025
Knott’s Scary Farm visitors who belly up to the bar at the Calico Saloon can shout requests to a ghost pianist who plays everything from Ragtime masterpieces to summery pop hits by Katy Perry during the annual Halloween seasonal event.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
The hilarious clip, shared on Monday under the username @caragamblee, shows the pup sleeping on the bed with his belly up and his paws stretched out, all while resting his head on the pillow.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In 1998, hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management was bailed out after its highly leveraged bets on bond arbitrage went belly up after the Russian debt default.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Now, belly up to USA TODAY's Bars of the Year with Mackensy Lunsford.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 30 July 2025
Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Go in a smallish group, belly up to the bar to put your name in, then order a strong drink if there's a wait.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
Wilding eventually rebranded a taproom in the River North Art District with the Great Divide name, so Denverites can still belly up without traveling to the suburbs.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Wu compared the current state of the industry to the internet era before the dot-com bubble, when a host of firms went belly up but the technology reoriented the economy and established corporate giants.
—ABC News, 22 Nov. 2025
Knott’s Scary Farm visitors who belly up to the bar at the Calico Saloon can shout requests to a ghost pianist who plays everything from Ragtime masterpieces to summery pop hits by Katy Perry during the annual Halloween seasonal event.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
The hilarious clip, shared on Monday under the username @caragamblee, shows the pup sleeping on the bed with his belly up and his paws stretched out, all while resting his head on the pillow.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
In 1998, hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management was bailed out after its highly leveraged bets on bond arbitrage went belly up after the Russian debt default.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Now, belly up to USA TODAY's Bars of the Year with Mackensy Lunsford.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 30 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belly up
Verb
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With gyms closed and consumers confined at home, Peloton’s premium stationary bikes, treadmills, and subscription service soared in popularity.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The intersection where the crash occurred was closed for several hours, police said.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The number of states where college games were being adjusted showed the large path of the approaching storm.—
John Raby,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
-
As a powerful winter storm approaches Georgia, residents are being warned to prepare for frigid temperatures, ice, and possible snowfall.—
Nakell Williams,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Coinbase's Advisor draws on on-chain transaction history and DeFi activity.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
This inventive, sophisticated work of historical fiction draws on the tools of documentary to obtain a pictorially dazzling account of nomadic life, cast against the vast landscape of the Sahara Desert.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The big moment comes amid the HBO Max drama's breakout success and after the pair was photographed out together several times on Globes weekend.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The killings came amid a wave of bloody violence tied to drug trafficking and organized crime, which has surged across Ecuador in recent years.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Journal‘s Borchers noted hybrid creep is nearing a tipping point, as the badge-swipe company Kastle Systems’ back-to-work barometer has posted year-over-year gains in each of the past six months, and over 50% attendance is the norm as of early 2026, a new high over 2025’s attendance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
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The team recommends further studies to determine the risk factor as Hubble nears its reentry date.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the first half, the defensive activity and competitive spirit were far better against the league’s best team, a night after Miami came up woefully short in both of those areas against the league’s worst team.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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Good and truth will hopefully come up and show its face and win.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belly up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belly%20up. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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