underworld

noun

ˈən-dər-ˌwərld How to pronounce underworld (audio)
Definition of underworldnext
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

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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 Mafia romances are especially popular, delving into the gritty underworld of organized crime. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026 Robert, the son of a more-like-a-brother cousin of Carney’s, disappears, and Carney sets out to find him, navigating the dual underworlds of Harlem crime and Queens politics. — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026 Times staff writer Matthew Ormseth received the award for crime reporting (print/online) for his coverage looking into the dark corners of California’s underworld. — Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 Miles eventually gets pulled into the local chapter of the Jeremiah Wylkes Society, whose mission is to investigate its 19th-century namesake’s contention that there is a hidden entrance to a spectacular underworld nearby. — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for underworld
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underworld
  1. abyss
  2. netherworld
  3. depths
  4. demimonde
Noun
  • And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Because of the abyss that comes into play in the mid-30s at RB, grabbing a RB (or two) in the first three tiers is crucial.
    — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • Alistair Taylor’s reward for accompanying him into this teenage netherworld was to be given lunch at his current favorite city-center restaurant, the Peacock.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
  • The rules of this netherworld announce themselves, early on, via a nondescript wall sign.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of netherworld
Noun
  • Unlike today’s earthquake in Colombia, Venezuela’s June quakes occurred on two different fault systems at depths of less than 15 miles (around 24 km).
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Like the original, the Ultra 2 has a 10ATM water rating, so it can be submerged to depths of 328 feet, compared with the Watch 9's 5ATM (128-foot) rating.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of depths
Noun
  • This debacle plunges the Marvins into Sydney’s criminal demimonde, where Susi is part of an organization headquartered in an amusement park and led by another brother-sister duo, this one terrifyingly unhinged.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The gumshoe’s exploits, punctuated with suspense, dark comedy and a motley cast unique to the demimonde of the Mexican capital, have been made into films and a Netflix series and translated into English and other languages.
    — Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of demimonde

Browse Nearby Words

underwhelms
underworld
underworlds
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Cite this Entry

“Underworld.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underworld. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of underworld for Spanish Speakers

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